


The Songbird and the Lonely Man

by hllfire



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: (check the first chapter notes), Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Still Have Powers, Angst, Charles Xavier Needs a Hug, Charles is a BAMF, Erik Lehnsherr is not a Happy Bunny, Eventual Smut, Fictional Locations, Fluff, Happy Ending, Honestly Charles What Are You Thinking, M/M, Magic, Medieval Aesthetic, Panic Attacks, Suppression Collars, Swordfighting, Too much world building, War, almost dub-con, fictional culture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-18 14:08:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 50,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28868313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hllfire/pseuds/hllfire
Summary: War breaks between the Four Mutant Kingdoms and the humans, leading to the fall of three of the Mutant Kingdoms by the hands of Sentinels, created to hunt and kill mutants; the only kingdom still standing is Genosha, the oldest of the Four, ruled by King Erik Lehnsherr. Thanks to the war, Genosha turns into a refuge for the other kingdoms and their people.Westchester was the only Mutant Kingdom where telepaths could live freely, where they weren't collared and turned into pets, ruled by King Charles Xavier — a telepath himself. When the Sentinels attack, the Westchester King flees the kingdom, taking the few Westchester survivors with him to Genosha. With his home destroyed and the safety of what remained of his people in mind, Charles makes a plan to guarantee he will raise his kingdom from the ruins it became as well as keep his people safe, even if it meant he'd lose his crown and his freedom.
Relationships: Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier
Comments: 79
Kudos: 167





	1. PRELUDE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **WARNING: The Dub-Con in the tags is for chapter 2 and nothing really happens, hence the "almost". I felt like I should tag anyway in case it makes people uncomfortable. Also, it deals with Charles and the other telepaths (minus one) being owned by other people, so if this makes you uncomfortable either don't read it or proceed with caution.**
> 
> This is the product of months of plotting and writing, I have no idea how many months it took me to come up with this finished product but dear god I feel like I've been working on this for forever. All I know is that I wrote and re-wrote this first chapter at least four times before I came up with this and then I edited it more than fifteen times (I'm not exaggerating) as I kept coming up with more plot points. I'm basically posting this first one to stop myself from coming back to it. This was supposed to be a one-shot but, alas… here we are.
> 
> I've always loved fantasy words and coming up with them, I just love letting my imagination run wild and create new worlds, so it wasn't much different here. Was it extra? Yes. Was it fun? Very. I went all in into the world building, but you'll notice it in the next chapters (especially the one with a song lmao). Also, there's no consistency in the length of chapters. This one was 2k words but the next one is 8k (I'm not kidding lmao), so be prepared for lengthy chapters going forward, this is, after all, the prelude as the title says hehe Hope you guys like this ❤️
> 
> (Also, I can't say for sure when i'll update this, but probably soon!)

**Flying into the cage, the loss of freedom, the song stops. The Songbird sings no more;**

"You remember the stories about Westchester, Erik. They are- Well,  _ were- _ ruled by a telepath." Sebastian Shaw said by Erik's side, his eyes looking directly at the newcomers that stood a few feet away from Erik, Sebastian and Irene, whose expression was hidden by her golden mask. "If this  _ is _ King Charles from Westchester, and I believe so, he should have the suppression collar on right now."

Erik's eyes were drawn to the woman who had came with the Westchester King into the throne room as she stepped forward, everything in her demeanor showing she seemed ready to attack; The Westchester King stopped her, hand flatly pressing against her chest and keeping her from taking any more steps further, the wild look in her bright yellow eyes dying into annoyance as she was stopped. The entire time, King Charles' eyes wouldn't leave Erik's, their gazes locked as if there was a silent challenge between them to see which one of them would look away first. Charles' cerulean eyes seemed determined not to lose.

"I'll thank you not to tell me what I should or shouldn't do while you're a refugee in Genosha, Sebastian." Erik said then, grey eyes like clouded skies still focused on the telepath in the room, not dignifying Shaw's words with even a look. "You are not in Hel anymore. I'm King of this land, what should and should not be done is up to  _ me." _

"Of course." Erik wasn't looking at the other King, but his voice was enough of a tell to know that he wasn't pleased with Erik's words, with the reminder that Shaw was a refugee just like Charles himself. Erik wondered how much longer Sebastian Shaw would last without being able to rule above others now that he was in Erik's lands. "It was merely a suggestion."

"The last of the four mutant rulers." Irene's voice sounded from somewhere behind Erik, a hint of worry behind her normally strong voice. "So my visions were true, then. Genosha  _ is _ the last mutant kingdom standing."

"I hoped to meet all of you in different conditions." Charles spoke after a while of silence, blue gaze never leaving Erik as he said the words. "Unfortunately it had to be with the fall of my kingdom and the death of many of my people. I come asking for shelter here in Genosha for the survivors and with an offering for the Genoshan King."

"Charles-"

"I beg you to listen, your Majesty." Charles kept going, stopping his sister from talking — Raven of Westchester, for what Erik remembered —, making the woman groan, blue scales spiking up for a moment, as if she was on the brink of changing her form in anger.

"I'll listen to you, King of Westchester, once the suppression collar is around your throat and I am sure that you aren't able to use your powers on anyone in the room."

Charles' face fell for a moment, seemingly disappointed in Erik's decision, but the change in expression only lasted for less than a second. It was enough for Erik to notice, however. Charles fixed his posture a bit more then, sighing.

"If that's what you wish, my King." his voice sounded resigned, frustrated, something dark but not exactly dangerous behind the words.

Charles' gaze remained on Erik while the guards approached him with the collar: a dark metal circle, engraved with runes of a language as ancient as Genosha itself — a spell on the obsidian colored metal that would keep the telepath from using his power. It was a form of torture to wear that collar, Erik knew that from the one time he had experienced having the metal around his throat and not being able to control it, and he would usually never resort to using that on someone, but he could never be too careful when the person standing in front of him had the gift of bending minds, when the old stories warned him about what that power could do.

Somewhere in the corner of the room, Emma Frost — who came with Sebastian when Hel fell to the Sentinels like it happened to Charles' and Irene's kingdoms — looked at the scene with a hard gaze, her own collar dark around her throat while she wore white.

As the guard placed the object around Charles' neck and activated it with a simple word, the Westchester King finally tore his eyes away from Erik's, gaze falling to the ground in embarrassment for having to be subjected to that. Erik pitied him for a moment, knowing that it wasn't a nice feeling to suddenly lose the power that accompanied him since birth, but at least it gave Charles the idea that he didn't have power there. It was important, considering what Erik remembered of the other King's story — he had taken the throne from his stepfather using his telepathy, had taken back the crown that rightfully belonged to him, and had killed his stepfather in the process. If the stories were true, Charles wasn't weak, so he had to make him feel like he was in case he wanted to try something.

Once the collar was around Charles' throat, the telepath winced a little bit, fingers moving to touch the metal and allowing Erik to feel both the heat of the skin of his throat and the slight touch of his fingers on the cold metal. At least now Erik was sure that Charles really wasn't using his telepathy before, so maybe the stories about him moderating his gift were true. Even so, better to not test his luck.

"Now," Erik's voice sounded loud in the silence that fell on the room, making Charles' eyes go back to him. "tell me your offer."

There was a pause as Charles took a deep breath and considered his next words carefully, regaining some control back as he stood tall in the middle of the throne room, hands going behind his back and blue eyes becoming serious again.

"A small portion of my army is alive," even unable to use his mutation, even with a collar around his throat, there was no doubt in Erik's mind that the man speaking to him was a King, his voice strong and oozing power. "which means they are ready to fight if and  _ when _ they are needed. I'm sure you've already been planning an attack to the human kingdoms to destroy the Sentinels?"

"Planning is the key word," Erik conceded with a slight nod of his head, "but it will happen. War is inevitable after the recent attacks on the mutant kingdoms."

"Good. If you give my people a place to stay in your lands until we recover ours, my army is yours to command. And of course there's… There's something else I am willing to offer in return of a favor." 

"Charles, please-"

"Raven, we talked about this." Charles' eyes turned to his sister, reprehensive, making her grunt. Erik's interest peaked at that, wondering what was the rest of the offer and why the princess seemed to be against it. "I am your brother second and King first, remember that."

"Do what you will, then," the woman said, face contorted in anger as she kept her gaze away from everyone, _ "my King." _

Charles sighed at that, shaking his head before his eyes moved through the other King and Queen there before it landed on Erik again — determined, but no less scared of his own words if the way his eyes shifted were any clue.

"I am well aware of the fame telepaths have, but I am also well aware of how… how valuable we are. King Shaw has one under his wing after all." his eyes moved to Emma Frost at the corner of the room, but didn't stay on her for much longer. "I am willing to offer myself to you, your Majesty, in exchange of a promise of getting my people back to their land, of delivering them back to Westchester, helping them to rebuild the kingdom once the war is over, and making sure my sister is there to take the throne."

By Erik's side, Sebastian Shaw made an incredulous sound that quickly turned into a laugh, making Charles' face harden. Erik, however, only narrowed his eyes at the other King, not believing his words at all.

"You'd step down from the throne you fought so hard to get back and give yourself to me for the promise of Genosha helping to rebuild Westchester  _ if _ we win the war?" Charles nodded, making Erik huff out a laugh. "And why would I want you,  _ your Majesty?  _ I don't  _ need _ a telepath."

Something in Erik's words seemed to hurt Charles for a second, but soon he had that determined look again in his eyes. Even from a distance, the blue of them seemed to look like wild waters. 

"Security. My allegiance would be to you and you only if you took me in, and you can't deny the advantages of having someone like me by your side. I believe King Shaw could confirm that to you."

"They  _ are _ useful," Sebastian confirmed, a preying look on his eyes as he looked at Charles with a big grin, as if he was considering taking the telepath for himself. "But you'd have to break him first. Make sure his loyalty is yours only, or else he could be as dangerous as the stories say. But I believe… Don't you have a helm? A heirloom from the Old Wars?"

Erik knew what he was talking about, remembering the old helm that was stored somewhere on the throne room. He never gave it much thought, not when telepaths had been banned from Genosha for generations now, only knowing of its existence from the way its metal shone like a beacon to Erik's power whenever he was sat at his throne or just wandering through the throne room. At that exact moment, Erik could feel it in its hiding spot, the pure metal singing to him — the only object in the entire kingdom that would be able to protect him from an uncollared telepath.

"All I want is my people safe and my home back to the hands of my family, even if it means I'll never be able to step foot on it again." Charles' voice was serious just then, the strength of a King never leaving his posture as he took a step forward. "And I know Genosha is the kingdom that can make it happen, that you can bring this desire of mine to reality. I am willing to… To be yours if you grant me that wish, if you make a promise to me and my sister that you'll do it."

Erik looked at him again, really looked at him, seeing the king of a fallen kingdom standing in front of him with so much determination to get that kingdom back from the ashes. Charles' longer hair seemed to be burned in some places thanks to the attack at Westchester, there was a bruise still healing on his jaw and the dark circles under his eyes made him look like he hadn't slept properly in a few days — which Erik imagined  _ was _ the case. Even so, the King stood in front of Erik as if his powers weren't being suppressed, as if he wasn't promising submission to Erik at that exact moment. He could admire Charles for that at least, and he also couldn't deny that the offer was more than tempting; to have the power of a telepath in the palm of his hands, that was something he couldn't just look past, especially in times like those.

"I'll give you a chance to take your offer back,  _ Charles." _ Erik put his arms behind his back, taking calm steps towards the other King, their difference in height making Charles look up at him slightly when he was too close. "Because if I do accept it, you'll be under my vigilance for the rest of your life. You won't leave my side and you'll do as I say when I say it. And, if for some reason I suspect your loyalty isn't reliable, then I'll have you killed immediately."

Next to them, Raven winced, taking a step to the side as if Erik's words were too much. If she were to become Queen, there was a lot for her to learn. Meanwhile, Charles didn't budge, eyes looking up at Erik without wavering once.

"If what worries you is where my loyalty will lie when you take me in then use magic. A pact." Charles suggested, a small chuckle leaving Erik's lips as he kept his eyes narrowed. "If I break it, you won't have to dirty your hands by killing me. The Ancient Magic will do the job for you."

"You seem certain that I'd take you."

"And why wouldn't you? Having me at your service means power, and what more could a King want?" Charles' eyes moved from Erik to somewhere behind him, to Shaw, a quick glance that could've been missed if Erik wasn't so close and looking. When Charles talked again, his voice was quiet. "King Shaw currently has an advantage against you, doesn't he? Who can say he won't use his telepath against you? You know the stories about the rulers of Hel: there's no royal family. The man who owns the throne is the one who steals it."

He was right, of course, and Erik knew the only reason for Shaw having not tried anything yet was solely because they had a common enemy. Hel was the farthest mutant kingdom from the other three for a reason: no one truly trusted them.

It impressed Erik, however, the fact that Charles was able to bend his mind even with his telepathy suppressed by the collar around his throat. There was a good reason — and a  _ very good _ one at it — now for Erik to want to accept the bargain. Rebuilding Westchester was a low price to pay, he thought, for the power of having Charles by his side.

"Having me means you'll balance things out," Charles continued, his expression showing victory already, as if he knew Erik was on his way to accepting. "Means I can protect you from anything in case something happens, as long as you protect me."

"You seem to have thought about everything in order to convince me, haven't you?" Erik stepped even closer then, hand moving to take Charles' and raising it before his fingers gripped Charles' wrist tightly. Charles understood what he was doing immediately, fingers holding Erik's wrist in return. His blue eyes seemed wilder now, too many emotions going through them for Erik to understand what they were. "By the power that birthed ones like us, by the Ancient Magic that still runs through our veins, you'll swear your loyalty to me and do no harm to me. You'll swear you're mine, that from now on  _ your power and your loyalty _ are mine."

"I'll be yours." Charles said, voice quieter now, somber, as a pull of something old and powerful coursed through them, the pulse of the power binding them together brushing against their joined skin. Charles' hand, Erik noticed, was weirdly cold. "My loyalty and power are yours, by the Ancient Magic that runs through our veins, for as long as you keep your promise to me that my people will be safe and my kingdom rebuilt with Genosha's help."

"I will keep my promise." Erik said out loud, eyes never leaving Charles'. Next to them, Raven seemed angry and saddened at the same time. "Or so the Magic may take my life as debt."

"Or so the Magic may take me."

When they let go of each other's wrists, the pulsing of power stayed for a moment; it felt like there was a band tying their wrists to each other, a soft pull that kept them joined, until it died down slowly. Erik would be a fool to think it wasn't still there, surrounding them both and keeping their lives tangled as the promise that was made was now one they wouldn't be able to step back from.

"So I guess we have a deal." Erik smiled again, eyes hard over the telepath as he nodded, dread crossing Charles' eyes for a small moment as he looked up at Erik. It wasn't regret for his decision, but it wasn't joy either.  _ Resignation. _ "You keep the collar."


	2. SUMMER

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **cw // (almost) dub-con; kind of dark!Charles**
> 
> Surprise surprise, two chapters in the same week because somehow I'm just a few words away from finishing the last chapter, which means I can do that askhdajksdh I want to say that I'm really happy with the feedback I got from the first chapter, and part of the reason why I'm posting this one so quick is because I got really excited to have another chapter out. This fic has been a big passion project for me ever since I first started writing it and I put so much effort into it that I just want to get it out already and see people's reactions to it. This chapter has more world building so get ready for that lmao  
> From now on I'll keep updating this every Friday!  
> (Also, if you have anything you want to say to me/ask me about this fic, you can go over to my tumblr and send an ask there! I'll be more than glad to reply <3)

**The Man whistles, but there is no song. They don't dare to sing, for no one would hear;**

Erik tried his best not to focus on the rustling of clothes by the side of his bed, trying to keep his eyes on the book he had in hands instead of looking at Charles as the telepath changed into his night clothes, unashamed of Erik's presence or the fact that, at any moment, the Genoshan King could look at his naked frame right before a new layer of clothing covered him. On the first day, Erik had been surprised, not expecting the once King of Westchester to be so unashamed of his nakedness — to Erik, he looked like someone who blushed easily; clearly he had been wrong. Now, Erik only turned his eyes away and allowed Charles to do his thing.

He could notice, however, that Charles seemed confused each time Erik turned his face away, and Erik knew exactly why: he expected Erik to take advantage of the pact that they had made — he belonged to Erik now after their deal, so he expected Erik to treat him as a pet like any other would do. Erik had no desire in doing that, especially considering who the man who shared his bed used to be before he gave away the crown in order to protect his people. He respected the King that stood at the throne room of Genosha mere weeks ago with power in his voice and resolve in his eyes.

If he was truly honest, Erik hadn’t expected Charles to go through with their pact at first, to give up even if he couldn’t due to the magic binding them together, but Charles hadn’t backed down. There was a strange power that surrounded the telepath still, which the collar around his throat did nothing to conceal.

But Erik wasn't used to owning someone like this, like a pet who followed him around wherever he went — mostly because Charles  _ couldn't _ leave Erik's side, as it was Erik's order —, and sometimes it was uncomfortable to not have his privacy anymore, to have Charles constantly there. He considered giving Charles his own quarters after the first week, but decided against it once he remembered who he was dealing with, deciding to keep the telepath close like he said he would, to keep an eye on him and make sure Charles meant his word. The power that surrounded Charles might’ve made Erik respect him more, but gave him the idea that Charles wasn’t someone he should underestimate as well.

Ancient Magic binding them or not, Erik could never allow himself to be careless. 

He started to wonder how Sebastian Shaw did it, how he could be so comfortable with Emma Frost always following at his heels, until he remembered: Shaw was a prick, he probably enjoyed that neverending submissive company by his side and the power that it gave him. At this point, with Hel fallen, he knew Frost was the only person he still had power over — she was probably what kept the power-greedy bastard sane.

Charles climbed under the covers, completely dressed once again, and made himself comfortable with his back turned towards Erik, trying to find a position where the collar around his throat wouldn't be a nuisance. The dark metal circle around his throat was now matched with two metal wristbands that were safely locked onto both of his wrists, a way of showing even more that he belonged to Erik and that Erik had power over him, a tug of his mind over the metal bands being enough to stop Charles if he needed it. He knew they weren't all that comfortable, at least not until he got used to them, but Charles didn't complain when he had been given them, just like the collar.

In reality, Charles didn't complain about anything at all, although Erik could see the moments where he  _ wanted _ to. He had learned to see those telltale signs of the other man's discomfort or anger when they came, even if Charles was a master of concealing them in record time whenever they happened — maybe that ability had to do with how he had hidden his own mutation for so long, maybe it had to do with Charles' upbringing in Westchester; Erik never asked. At least he made sure not to make the other man as uncomfortable as he could be, and he saw the gratitude in Charles' eyes whenever it happened, as well with clear surprise and confusion painting his blue eyes. Erik was well aware that Charles expected worse treatment than that, he didn't need to be a telepath to know, but Erik was not Shaw and the man on his bed had been a king, even if it was hard to compare the Charles that was laying on his bed to the Charles he had met on the night of their pact.

They were the same, but the King that stood in front of Erik and gave himself away for the sake of his kingdom seemed to be hiding behind a mask of submission that Erik wasn’t really sure fit him. A quiet voice at the back of his head told him it didn’t.

When Erik realized that the words in front of him weren't making sense anymore, his mind long moving to think about Charles instead of focusing on the book he was reading, he put the object away, blowing the candle that was the only source of light in the room now and letting it become dark as he laid to sleep. The whole night, the warmth of Charles' body could be felt next to his.

"Westchester might be destroyed but it's located next to the closest human kingdom. The one to the south of Genosha is farther still, and stronger as well." Irene spoke, her voice calm and leveled as Erik, Shaw and Raven sat at the table with her and listened. Behind Erik, Charles stood there with his hands placed on Erik's chair — close, observant, and completely silent. "They won't expect us going through the ruins of Westchester because it's dangerous, but it's our best chance of success."

"We can't just go over to Westchester and hope for the best. Azazel went there at my command," Shaw's voice had a hint of annoyance to it, as if everyone around him was daft and couldn't see reason. Erik held back the desire to just roll his eyes at the other man. "He reported Sentinels all over the place, lurking and waiting to see if there are still survivors."

"And that's why the attacks will have to happen when it's safe. It's a waiting game, and even so, we'll have to be careful and hide in the ruins before getting to the human lands." Irene explained, turning her mask-covered face to Raven, who seemed uncomfortable to be sitting where her brother should be. Her eyes would constantly wander back to Charles. "I believe Westchester has somewhere we could hide? My visions showed me that we get there through tunnels underground…"

Behind Erik, Charles moved, fingers brushing Erik's shoulder by accident. He knew something, wanted to talk, but he knew he probably wasn't allowed to do it there, not when Emma was standing behind Shaw's chair as well, face cold and devoid of expression, as if she was nothing more than a luxury piece to Shaw, a mindless object which only use was being pretty. Erik didn't like that one bit.

"The tunnels, yes." Raven said, voice wavering for a moment before she fixed her posture, looking more like a Queen should. "Westchester is located between hills that… that served as protection to the kingdom in the Old Wars when we pushed the humans of the area to the North. There are secret tunnels inside those hills that served us well when running from the Sentinels during the attack weeks ago. They're narrow, however. It wouldn't be perfect for an army to make camp there."

Charles moved again, making Erik turn his head slightly this time to check the telepath's face. There was a spark in his eyes showing that he knew something Raven didn't, and when their eyes met, Erik could see the silent plea to allow him to talk. His eyes had the same fire of the day they met, albeit controlled so he wouldn't do something wrong.

"Something to add, Charles?" Erik said out loud, seeing the blue in his eyes soften immediately.

"You shouldn't let him talk." Shaw's voice caught everyone’s attention, seeing the other King looking at Charles with that same look from the day Charles arrived at Genosha — as if there was the desire to add Charles and make his collection of mindless telepaths. "Bad manners."

"Charles was the King of that land, Shaw, in case you don't remember." Erik hurried in saying. "He probably knows Westchester even better than his sister, and his input is more than valuable considering that we're at war."

"There are secrets my brother knows that I don't." Raven confirmed, a blush rising through her blue cheeks as her yellow eyes turned to Charles. She seemed pleased that he would be allowed to talk now. "Our father focused on his education about the kingdom more than mine, considering he was the first in the succession line. He probably knows more about the tunnels."

"There's… There's hidden chambers in those tunnels." Charles said, seemingly still worried about using his voice. Erik noticed Emma's eyes moving for the first time in that meeting, pale blue eyes staring at the talking telepath. "Well, more like one chamber with different layers. They're big and made to accommodate large groups of people, built back in the Old Wars, but they only exist in one of the hills, the one closest to the border between Westchester and the human lands."

"So we would have to cross Westchester to get there." Erik added, rubbing his eyes at the idea. "It makes it more dangerous."

"Not really, no." Charles' lips curved into a pleased smile as he prepared himself to contradict Erik's words. Erik couldn't help admiring the other man for a few moments, seeing the shift in his behavior and how confident he had gotten. "The tunnels connect between the hills. It's a narrow path but it  _ can _ be crossed by a large army to reach the last hill where we could rest and attack once it's time."

"That's how it should be done." Irene intervened, face turned to Charles now, golden mask gleaming with the fire. "Fortune will be by our side if we use the tunnels and wait for the right moment to attack."

"And when would that moment be?"

"Spring."

"Oh, you can't be serious." Shaw shook his head, leaning forward on his chair. "We're in the middle of  _ Summer, _ we can't possibly wait that long-"

"The humans don't have mutants who can make sure food is being produced during the cold winter." Irene's voice was still calm as she refused to even turn her face to Shaw, making the man grimace at that. "Their food will be scarce thanks to the North's winter and they'll only start producing again in large scale during Spring.  _ That's _ when we should attack if we want to win."

"The human kingdom next to Westchester was known to be one of the weakest, they're constantly going through starvation periods thanks to the brutal winter. The closest village to Westchester's hills is small and poor." Charles confirmed Irene's words with a nod, now knowing that he was allowed to talk if what he had to say would be useful. His eyes turned somber, however, making Erik frown for a second. "We-  _ I _ used to send food to them when Winter was over, I pitied them back then. But I’ve seen those people, and an attack after winter, considering we can outpower the Sentinels, can be fatal. They can’t outpower a mutant army."

"So it's settled then," Erik raised his voice, making all eyes go to him. "We'll attack when Winter is over."

The fact that Charles' eyes were on him as he trained made Erik self conscious for some reason. He was used to being in the training room alone or with a person who would be his adversary, but not with someone who only watched him move around with the sword in his hands in complete silence. Sometimes he would stop to take a breath and look Charles' way, seeing the other man looking at him with barely concealed interest, cerulean eyes staring at the sword in Erik's hand and his stance.

Even when he wasn't looking at Charles, the metal of his wristbands and of the collar around his throat seemed to be always present in the back of Erik's mind, calling to him.

"You trained back in Westchester?" he asked once he stopped again, wiping the sweat of his forehead, eyes moving to the telepath as he lowered the sword.

The question seemed to take Charles off guard, as if he wasn't expecting it, making Erik sigh at the way the man seemed to expect Erik to treat him like Shaw treated Emma. He had to keep the telepath at bay, yes, but not like that. Besides, Charles had proven multiple times in the few weeks he'd been in Genosha that he could provide good company when he forgot he had the collar around his throat, and Erik wouldn't waste that. He had been a lonely man for most of his life, but now he was tied to Charles and he expected at least a good conversation out of that.

"I did." Charles finally answered with a short and practiced nod. No words were added to that, making Erik narrow his eyes.

He stared at Charles for a moment more, taking in the hesitant look in the other man's eyes, before he raised his hand and called for the metal on the blade of another sword that was laying there. The metal obeyed, flying to him until it took a sharp turn towards Charles. The telepath stared at the weapon with confusion in his eyes when he noticed that it was being offered to him, handle pointing at his chest so Charles could hold it. Blue eyes raised to Erik's grey ones, showing more emotion than they had been showing all day.

Uncertainty, fear,  _ excitement  _ — hidden, but undeniably there.

"Sire-"

"I'd like to see how good you are."

"I- I can't." Charles swallowed thickly, eyes falling towards the blade for a second before they rose again. "I promised I'd do you no harm, I can't risk breaking our pact like this. Ancient Magic can be tricky."

Erik smirked at that, seeing Charles frowning a little bit at it as the sword moved away from him, floating almost lazily back to where it was before.

"You seem to think you'd be able to strike me."

"I don't like to gloat, my King, but I've trained enough with a sword in my life to be able to. If your power isn't at play, that is."

"Let's test that, shall we?"

Charles only stared as Erik floated the metal swords to their places, walking through the training room towards a rack with only wooden swords. He took two from there, swirling one in his hand as he walked towards Charles again and offered him the spare sword.

He wondered for a moment if Charles hadn't been lying about his abilities when he took the sword awkwardly, staring at it with so much uncertainty that Erik almost called the whole thing off. It was almost terrifying to see the way Charles' eyes shifted, cold concentration in his blue irises as he held the sword more confidently, the grip now right for a fight, before he stared at Erik and showed he was ready for the duel.

As they stood in the middle of the room and took their stances, Erik wondered if he really wasn't in trouble there — his power was what gave him more control over the swords, what guaranteed his victory, as he usually relied on it during fights, but now he'd have to forget that and fight like a human would. He could still control Charles' hands considering the wristbands he wore, but he guessed that it wouldn't be fair when Charles' own power was being kept from him.

If Charles had his telepathy, Erik realized there wouldn't be a fight in the first place.

Erik made the first move, realizing quickly just how much of a difficult opponent Charles would be as he parried his attack and went straight to offense in the blink of an eye. He stood his ground against Erik, moving just as fast with reflexes he had only seen on his best swordsmen; Erik found it hard to find the breach in Charles' defense. The sound of wood against wood was loud in the empty room as they moved through it.

The fight went on, both Charles and Erik being able to escape each other's blows for a long time, and Erik realized too late that what Charles had been doing. It was almost shameful how he realized his mistake right as he lunged at Charles, ocean eyes turning wild when he saw his opening; it was a matter of seconds for the tip of Charles' sword to hit Erik's hand, breaking his hold on the handle of his sword in a way that Erik knew would have hurt badly if the sword had been of sharp metal. The noise of wood against the floor was heard just as the blunt tip of the wood sword touched Erik's neck, right under his chin, causing Erik to raise his head slightly and lower his eyes to look at Charles.

The man standing there in front of him with that sword against his throat looked more dangerous than anyone Erik had ever met, blue eyes burning with a fire behind them — Erik had always heard blue flames burned hotter.

"Not bad." Erik said, his words making Charles finally lower his sword and take a deep breath, some of the wild look in his eyes dying down now.

"I had to learn how to fight. Couldn't count on my telepathy all the time if I didn't want to be found out by Kurt and his followers." something dark crossed Charles' eyes then and he sighed, fixing his posture and his expression — and there it was again, the neutral face. "I guess it came in handy."

It was warm outside, Summer still looming over them with its excessive heat — Erik hated the summertime, too hot and too many unexpected Summer rains for him to enjoy it. Even so, it was one of the rare days where the heat was tolerable, although he could feel the beginning of a storm in the air preparing to happen.

Trying not to lose the rare fresh Summer day, Erik decided it was the perfect moment for a ride through the fields under the plateau where the city surrounding Genosha's castle was placed, he used to do it with his father when he was little, to watch the crops and gallop through the fields for fun. He didn't go fast this time, setting a calm pace so Charles and Raven — who he had allowed to accompany them after she had requested it — could take in the view. He knew they didn't have much time to do that when they first arrived after losing their home, that they had gone up towards the castle without bothering with the view. It wasn’t like he could blame them.

The whole time, he saw Charles fighting to keep a neutral face, still acting like he couldn't show any emotions. 

Erik was riding in front of the siblings as Raven talked with her brother excitedly and Charles answered stiffly, fearing that he wasn't supposed to talk in Erik's presence without his outright consent — she didn’t seem to care much about what Erik did and didn’t think, an edge of defiance to her words and actions that Erik knew were due to her dislike of him. Erik, in return, purposefully didn't say anything, trying to get Charles to understand that he didn't need to be silent even if Raven’s lack of respect was slightly annoying. It took a while, but soon the conversation between the siblings seemed to be going normal, with Charles talking and answering with almost the same enthusiasm.

There were a few trees up front as they rode their horses, a small orchard that Erik had once loved to play on when he was a kid. He remembered one memory of his mother taking him there once, watching him as he ran and climbed the trees to get their apples, and gifting one of them to her once. It had been a long time ago, when Erik didn’t have to worry with war and the weight of a crown, or with foreign Kings and Ancient Magic pacts.

As they went through the path in between the trees, a small bird landed on a branch, pale yellow feathers and a red beak, chirping away in its gritty and annoying tone to no one in particular. Behind himself, Erik heard a whistle.

He looked back for a moment, seeing both siblings with their eyes locked on the bird, and Charles whistled again. It was a simple tune, but it sounded melodic in Erik’s ears, like it wasn’t something Charles had just created at that instant, as if he had whistled those notes all his life. There was hope in Charles' and Raven's eyes after the notes were whistled, Erik just didn't know what for.

The bird looked at them curiously, chirping again as if finding Charles' whistle weird; Charles whistled again. The bird flew away. The morbid disappointment in both the siblings' faces was almost painful to see.

Erik turned to look at the path again, ignoring Charles and Raven as they now rode in complete silence.

"Right now there should be birds singing in the palace gardens as the sun fell over the hills…" Raven's voice said, weak, making Erik wonder if that was why they looked so down when the bird didn't sing back to Charles' melody. "Do you think the birds are still there?"

Charles didn't answer for a long while, making Erik want to look behind himself again to see the man's expression as he remembered his home, to see if it was as morbid as before.

Erik didn't turn.

"Maybe. The gardens didn't get as destroyed as the rest of the palace…" Charles' voice was gloomy, making Erik sigh. Whatever expression Charles had in his face right at that moment, Erik knew it wasn't a nice one. "Hopefully they are still singing as the sun sets over the hills. Hopefully that won't ever change…"

At the end of the afternoon when day turned to night, after they came back from the ride, Erik saw to his prayers — he never stopped following his mother's traditions even after she was gone, that was one of the few things that made him still feel close to her. As he did it, he noticed Charles moving stiffly around the room, his mood not really improving after the bird that flew away.

After Erik was done, his eyes fell on the once King again, seeing Charles stare back at him with a cold look, not really there. It was almost time for supper, he knew that he should be making his way to the dining room at that moment, but Charles' eyes made him change his mind. Instead of leaving the room Erik walked somewhere else, catching Charles' attention immediately. 

He sat next to the chess board, eyes looking at Charles in a silent question for him to join Erik there.

Charles hesitated, but soon he was sitting in front of Erik with a calmer expression on his face as he planned his next move.

Erik woke up slowly, his eyes getting accustomed with the light that entered the room through the open curtains, only to notice that, once again, he had moved during the night and pulled Charles' body closer, the warmth of the other man comfortable between Erik's arms. It wasn't the first time it had happened, sometimes he would wake up with Charles laying with his head on his chest and sleeping calmly, only to wake up completely embarrassed when he realized what had happened and pushing away quickly.

This time, however, Charles was too close, body against Erik's everywhere, his back to Erik's front, and it took only a few seconds for Erik’s mind to wake up enough and notice the small movements Charles was making, his arse against Erik's morning erection as he ground against it.

_ Oh. _

Erik couldn't help the sharp intake of breath as he felt it, his cock twitching slightly at the feeling of Charles' backside dragging against it, the pressure not nearly enough to get him off but enough to make Erik want more. His hands held Charles' body a little closer, tighter, his face moving to rest against the hair at the back of Charles' head and letting out a soft breath against it as he started moving his hips as well, seeking more friction. Charles' body was soft under his hands, his hair smelling of the lavender he used whenever he went to take a bath and a smell that was specific to Charles.

It had been a while since Erik had found time to bring someone to his bed, even before Charles was the one sleeping on it and sharing Erik's bed, the King had been too busy with the war that had started to unfold. So, as he felt Charles' body warm against his — that soft and pleasing warmth that came with the early morning — and his plump arse dragging against his prick, it was hard not to seek the pleasure he was being offered.

It was only when he pressed a kiss to the nape of the telepath’s neck that he noticed how tense Charles' body seemed to be under his hands.

He frowned, moving away for a moment as much as his body screamed to keep the friction going, and pulling Charles to lay on his back, catching the surprised look in the other man's face as he looked up at Erik before he schooled his expression again. Erik didn't like that, his face turning harder and making a spark of dread show up in Charles' blue eyes.

"I thought you-" he started but stopped himself immediately, clenching his jaw as if he was reprimanding himself for talking.

"Say it, Charles."

It took a few moments, but Charles did, voice as quiet as a whisper.

"I thought you'd want me to pleasure you." Erik frowned down at him, seeing Charles flinch for a moment. "I thought- I thought that if I started it wouldn't- Maybe I wouldn't feel as… bad. Pretend I wasn't being us-"

Charles didn't finish the sentence, letting it float in the air, but he didn't need to, Erik knew what the last word was.  _ Used. _ Charles thought Erik would-

"You-"

Erik wasn't able to finish his words as well, getting away from Charles in a hurry and shaking his head as he got up from the bed. Charles wasn't able to hide his expression then, the way his eyes widened showing his surprise and fear at Erik's reaction, as if he would be punished for something, as he raised himself with his elbows on the bed.

"Don't do that again." Erik said quickly once he managed to say something. "I don't want a whore, or a mindless man, so don't act like one."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" the way Charles' voice went hard made Erik stop. There he was again, the once King of Westchester, staring at Erik with fire in his eyes that seemed to be able to burn Erik down if he wasn't careful. "I'm here to serve you,  _ my King, _ aren't I? My body and mind are yours at this point. That was the deal, the pact I made. I don't understand the game you're playing-"

"There is  _ no game, _ Xavier. _ Your _ body and  _ your _ mind are  _ yours, _ the only thing I'll ever force you to do is to never leave my sights and never take the collar and the metal around your wrists off." Erik stepped close to the bed again, watching Charles get up in a hurry to stand in front of Erik, eyes burning with confusion and fury still. "I don't know who you think I am, but I won't take from you what you won't give me."

"I gave myself to you,  _ Sire." _

"You gave your telepathy to me as well as your loyalty. The rest is yours to keep. I didn’t want a telepath before and you and I both know you’re only here because if I this is what guarantees that Shaw or you won’t try anything against me then that’s what I’ll do."

There was silence, and Erik only watched as Charles' expression changed slowly: fury, confusion, surprise, understanding, doubt,  _ relief. _

"So you won't-" 

He didn't need to complete the words, Erik knew what Charles wanted to say. He sighed heavily, moving one of his hands to brush away a strand of hair back to take it from Charles' face as the telepath only watched, too many emotions still going through his face as he watched Erik with wariness.

"I won't deny that you are a beautiful man, and that I very much would like to lay you on my bed and have you right now." Erik's voice was calm, and he couldn't help but notice the sharp breath that Charles took. "But I would only do that if you let me, if you didn't think you  _ had _ to let me. Our deal wasn't for me to bed you, was for you to let me have your telepathy. I may be a King, but so are you."

When Erik moved his hand away, Charles was still looking intently at him, letting his words settle before he nodded in understanding. He saw, however, when Charles mouthed the word  _ "were". _

"In that case I'd rather not… not doing it. At least not now." Erik couldn't help but to smile at the words.

_ "At least not now?" _

The look in Charles' eyes shifted for a moment, some of the weight from before lifting and a glimpse of the man who won over Erik in a sword fight appeared again. Erik liked that look more on Charles' face, the self-confidence showing through the submissive façade he tried to keep. 

"If I'm to live with you for the rest of my life and sleep on your bed every night, my liege, then I'd expect it to happen at some point. I am well aware that neither you nor I have anything against sex, but..." Charles' voice got quieter there, the words dying in his mouth as if he was hesitant to say them, closing his lips shut immediately. Erik, in return, raised his eyebrows.

_ "But?" _

"But," Charles started again after a few seconds of silence, voice still leveled, eyes studying Erik's face before his next words. "I have to confess I rather enjoy the  _ giving _ part more…"

Charles' eyes didn't leave Erik's face for one second, watching his reaction closely and probably looking for any kind of rejection. Maybe, Erik thought, that was one of the moments where Charles hated even more not having his telepathy. He wanted to know what Erik was thinking, his opinion on the words he had just said, and yet the collar around his throat didn't give him that freedom. All he could do was watch and wait.

Erik saw with some amusement how Charles' face relaxed at the smile on Erik's lips, a huffed out laughter leaving the King’s nose as he took a step closer to Charles. When the telepath didn't step back or shifted into his neutral self to hide his thoughts, Erik saw the movement as welcome.

"As you said, we'll have the rest of our lives together," Erik's hand raised, touching Charles' chin lightly with thumb and forefinger. Charles' eyes narrowed a little. "and lucky for you, I enjoy the taking as much as the other way around."

"You don't seem the type." Erik smiled again at how quick the words left Charles' mouth, looser now, although he seemed to regret his words for a moment. Erik would have none of that.

"I guess we both are full of surprises. You can win over me in a sword fight, I enjoy  _ taking it up the arse, _ as a crude would say..." Charles' eyebrows shot up at the wording, Erik's grin widening. "What else can we find out?"

Charles' lips curved up into a small smile; it was calm, amused, and one of the only ones Erik had received from the once King ever since Charles arrived at Genosha. He would rather like seeing more of those.

"You also don't need to act like a subordinate all the time." Erik's voice was more serious now, taking a step back as he watched Charles' face. "I prefer when you talk to me normally."

Something crossed Charles' eyes just then, some kind of concealed anger that made Erik frown and try to understand where that came from. Like any other time, it was gone as quickly as it came, although Charles didn't seem to close himself completely like before. 

"If you aren't bothered by that, I would rather enjoy not having to police myself so much." another smile appeared on Charles' lips, amused, although part of that anger from before was still there. "But, I have to say, you're one of the first to not want me to shut up."

Erik walked through the corridors as he tried to get himself tired, hands behind his back and gaze down the floor as he crossed the halls of the wing of the castle where the living quarters were.

He hadn't been able to sleep that night, staring at the dark ceiling for hours and hearing Charles' calm breathing by his side until he realized he wouldn't be able to close his eyes. There were reports from the Genoshan borders earlier, on the far north side where Genosha and Westchester met, close to the Weidenholz Forest — humans were spotted there, trying to find a way to cross the old forest. Thankfully, the Ancient Magic that ruled those grounds took care of them, protecting Genosha's borders with the help of a few mutants that were around the place. Even so, it was worrying to know they were trying to advance.

There were no Sentinels with them, but Erik couldn't say it would stay like that for much longer.

As he walked, he noticed voices coming from one of the sitting rooms nearby, its door cracked open with the light of the fireplace leaking into the barely lit corridor as Erik got closer to it. With a movement of his fingers as he felt the metal on the doorknob, the door opened slowly, revealing Raven of Westchester and Irene of Muir sitting there together, apparently talking about something. Raven's eyes moved to Erik immediately, the bright yellow shining with the flames of the fireplace, but Irene remained facing nowhere in particular, although Erik knew she was aware of his presence.

It was one of the first times he saw her without her golden mask, her face uncovered except for the dark glasses covering her unseeing eyes. She seemed tired, her light brown hair — filled with a few white strands from the many Winters she had already seen — pulled up and away from her face. Even without the mask, even if her face was beautiful, Erik still was intimidated by the woman. The power she held was one Erik couldn't help but admire and fear in equal amounts.

"Quite late for you to be awake, isn't it, your Majesty?" Irene's voice spoke, as calm and full of authority as always. 

"I could say the same about you, my Queen." the corner of Irene's lips tugged up at Erik's words, her face resting lazily against the palm of her hand.

"You're worried about the earlier reports about the humans at the border." she didn't ask, it was an affirmation. Erik's didn't answer. "I can't lie to you and say there won't be attacks on the borders of your kingdom, Erik of Genosha, but I can promise you that until Spring comes there won't be Sentinels over your lands."

"Spring…" Erik repeated, taking a few more steps inside the room. Raven's eyes looked at him curiously, citrine eyes moving behind him.  _ Searching for Charles. _ "You said we should attack on Spring."

"And it still stands." Irene nodded, her face finally turning to face Erik. "We should attack as soon as Winter is over. If we don't, there'll be Sentinels all over Genosha in the middle of Spring. I fear that, if we get the timing wrong, my King, it could mean the end of mutantkind."

"I don't believe that was supposed to help me sleep tonight..." Irene grinned again at him, but his eyes moved to Raven quickly. She didn't seem very happy with his presence. "Are we all having trouble sleeping?"

"Where's Charles?"

Erik's eyes narrowed at the woman, seeing her face unwavering as she waited for an answer. Like Charles, she seemed to have misconceptions about Erik's relationship with the once King. He could explain to her he had no interest in violating Charles, that Charles was safe with him, say  _ anything,  _ really.

"Asleep," he said instead, a smug smile appearing on his lips before he completed the phrase, "on my bed."

If looks could kill, Erik knew he'd already be dead where he stood with the way the woman glared at him. It was almost maddening how the siblings seemed to think Erik would take advantage of his and Charles' pact like that, but he guessed he couldn't blame them for it — with Charles being a telepath, they probably grew up knowing exactly what happened to those like him; it was probably hard to believe that Charles would be treated differently.

"He's safe, if that's what you want to know." Erik said again, her expression still murderous as she scowled him with her eyes. "And, frankly, it offends me that you think I'd take advantage of your brother like that, Raven of Westchester. If you're to be the Queen of your lands once I fulfill the pact I made with your brother, I expect you to not disrespect me."

"The fucking pact…" Raven spat out quietly, Erik's eyes narrowing at her again. "Charles is smarter than that, and yet he's now your-" she stopped herself, pursing her lips before she took a deep breath. Her scales flickered against her body for a moment, a wave against her skin, before it settled. "Charles is a strategist, has always been…  _ Learned _ to be... He plans his every move in order to keep himself and the ones he loves safe, and I still don't know why  _ you _ seemed like survival for him."

"He did it for you and your kingdom, your Highness." Erik offered, eyes still hard over her. "I don't know if you realize but I'm as tied to the pact we've made as him. If I don't give him what he asked, I will fall."

"There were other ways to do that other than putting the façade that he belongs to someone." when Raven moved her eyes to him again, her gaze was somber. "Do you even know the full story of how Charles got our kingdom back, your Majesty?"

Erik tried not to frown, curiosity taking over him at her words, especially as to why she was bringing this up. He looked at Irene for a moment, as if expecting her to say something, but she wasn't looking at Erik anymore, nor seemed like she had anything to say. All that Erik had left to do was listen.

"We spent decades under the rule of Kurt Marko after he killed our father and after him and his minions took over Westchester. Charles grew up dreaming of bringing Westchester to what it was when our father ruled, to get out of Marko's grip, but it wasn't easy. Nothing ever is…" her words sounded heavy with anger, as if she resented the hardships she went through. Erik didn't say anything or move, only allowing her to talk. "At first, Charles was too young, and then there was also the telepathy… No one would accept a King who was a telepath. So Charles started talking to people, showing them who he was and trusting they would understand and support him.

“He spent years just talking, keeping himself hidden from Kurt and anyone who could give us trouble, making people trust him, until it came the day where most of the kingdom knew who he was and wanted him on the throne. I guess the fact that Marko was a bastard to the people didn't help him with public opinion as well…

"Charles allowed Kurt to know about his plans, to try and kill him, because once Kurt had said me and Charles belonged to him now, and Charles still remembered that. He'd do anything to prove the bastard wrong and show him the little power he had. When Marko's guards came, Charles controlled  _ every single man _ from Kurt's guard and made them point their weapons at Kurt. Charles is kind and has a big forgiving heart most of the time, so much that sometimes he’s insufferable, but I can tell you, Erik of Genosha, that there was no mercy in my brother's heart there." Raven's head tilted for a moment, eyes narrowing in Erik's direction. "Do you know what happened next?"

"He killed Kurt." Erik said without missing a beat. The smirk that showed up on her lips told Erik that that was the wrong answer, making Erik frown. That was the story he knew, the one that reached all the three remaining Mutant Kingdoms.

"I told you,  _ my King, _ that Charles had no mercy in him that day.  _ Death _ would've been the biggest mercy Kurt Marko could've gotten." Erik felt a chill run down his spine at those words, his mind not being able to link them to the man who now slept on his bed. He remembered the way Charles' eyes looked dangerous on the day they dueled with swords; he wondered what those ocean eyes hid. "Charles made every man put down his weapons as Kurt begged for his life and screamed curses at him and his telepathy at the same time. All Charles did was say a command, and I still remember every word."

Nothing outwardly in Raven changed, her body still was of a deep blue and her eyes still shone yellow like the fire burning next to her, but her voice wasn't hers when she talked anymore, it was deeper and had a different accent than the one she used.

When Raven opened her mouth again, it was Charles' voice leaving her lips.

_ "Leave Westchester, Kurt Marko. Walk the Earth until your feet bleed, and make no place your home; when your feet bleed, rest and tend to them before you walk again, walk without a destiny until you take your last breath, for Westchester was my home and you stole it from me. Now you'll have no home for yourself for the rest of your life." _

Erik tried to keep his face schooled as he looked into the yellow of Raven's eyes, although there was part of him that wanted to be surprised. He couldn't be sure that the tone she used was the one Charles had used when he said those words, but, if it was, it sounded somber and full of anger; it wasn't difficult to believe Charles had said those words exactly like that, with venom on his tongue.

He could picture calm in Charles' face, the calm of a man who knew had already won. Maybe he smiled, maybe he looked pleased with himself as he doomed Kurt Marko to follow an order that his mind would never be able to disobey — Charles, the Belladonna. Beautiful and stunning Charles;  _ Deadly. _

"My brother can't be owned, your Majesty." her voice was set as she said that, it was her truth; Erik thought that maybe it could be more than a truth — a fact set in stone. "No pact by Ancient Magic and no collar around his throat can change that."

They stared at each other, unwavering gazes from both as Erik allowed her words to settle and his image of Charles to shift. Fragile was the last word he could use to describe the other man.

As Erik thought about Raven’s words, Irene’s voice filled the room again, both Raven and Erik turning their faces to her.

"Lovely conversation,” she started, her voice flat as she said those words, face serious, “but there's something I need to discuss with Raven now, your Majesty, that I'd rather not have you here to witness. It would be a shame if she ripped your head from your shoulders after my words."

_ “Excuse me?” _

“Trust me, Erik Lehnsherr,” she insisted, face turned to Erik again as her voice echoed with more of an order than a suggestion, “there are things you can’t know yet, but that she has to, so she doesn’t disrupt a path that needs to happen.”

“That doesn’t make me want to leave  _ at all.” _

“I’m not giving you a choice.”

Erik pursed his lips at her, eyes narrowing as he looked from her to Raven a few times. He didn’t like the way she sounded before, but all he knew from the Queen of Muir was that she wasn’t one for being contradicted. Even if Erik insisted, Irene wouldn’t budge.

“As you wish.” Erik bowed, face still sour as he straightened himself.

“Good boy. Now, please,” she waved her hand at Erik, a clear order for him to leave, “if you could leave us alone.”

All he heard as he walked away from the room after closing the doors behind himself was an angry noise coming from Raven and the sound of something falling to the ground and breaking. He wanted to turn around and understand what Irene had told Raven, what was the future she saw, but he didn't dare, placing his hands behind his back and keeping his steps forward. If there was someone as stubborn as Erik, it was probably the Queen of Muir.

Sleep still seemed distant, his body and mind felt even more awake than before with Raven's story, and yet he found himself walking into his quarters again, staring into the darkened room and at the bed, seeing the shape of Charles there on the mattress in the middle of the covers. Erik could feel the collar and wristbands, his skin heating up the metal nicely, the pulsing of his heart against the metal, and Erik remembered Raven's words once more.

_ My brother can't be owned, _ she had said, and although he carried the symbols of someone who  _ was _ owned, Erik believed her words. There was a fire behind Charles' eyes that never went away, not even when he tried to suppress it, to act like he belonged to Erik. Their lives were tied and Charles obeyed Erik's orders, but Erik would be a fool now to ever think that the King of Westchester would ever be less than that — less than a King, less than the man who planned his whole life how to take his kingdom back.

For the first time, Erik truly feared the man sleeping on his bed, but he would be lying if his admiration wasn’t there in equal amounts.


	3. AUTUMN

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The Songbird's point of view._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **cw // panic attack**
> 
> As promised, new chapter hehe. This time we have Charles' pov to give you guys some answers and his views on the whole situation (also, some more world building because it just never stops!). Thank you so much for all the positive feedback on this fic, it means a lot to me that people are liking it considering the amount of effort I put on writing it :') By the way, the small phrases at the begining of the chapters and the title of this fic will make sense soon >:) (I was very extra about this, as usual).
> 
> Hope you guys like this one as well, I went overboard on it maybe with the amount of words but hey! More content I guess lmao ❤️

**And trust is built, slowly, carefully, but surely. There is song again, hesitant, out of tune, but the silence is no longer there;**

It was almost surreal to Charles when he finally was truly allowed a moment alone for the first time ever since arriving at Genosha. Charles had a few moments on his own before, of course — he was still grateful Erik had heard his wishes of bathing alone, even if the King waited for him outside the bathing chambers every time —, but this time was different. Erik had a meeting with his generals to talk about the coming attack, to plan their strategies for when Spring finally came, and Charles wasn't allowed in there, which meant he'd be by himself for a few hours. Part of him still expected to look up and see Erik there, the imposing figure of the Genoshan King accompanying him with his every step to make sure Charles was close and where he could see him, but everytime he looked up, he was still alone.

Hours to be by himself inside that castle. It sounded like a lie, and yet there he was, staring at a nearby window as he tried to decide what to do now that he wouldn't have to follow Erik like a shadow. It was only then, as he thought about what to do and looked out the window, that Charles realized just how fast time was passing.

Outside the castle walls, Autumn came and took away the green color of the leaves, bringing instead the orange, yellow and red that now were starting to take hold of the kingdom, a cold breeze now blowing, although not as cold as what Westchester felt like during that time of year. Genosha's weather was warmer, more humid than Westchester even; if it was Westchester, he thought, the simple linen clothes around his body wouldn't be enough to warm him from the Autumn air.

He stepped closer to the window as his eyes looked around himself once more, as if Erik would show up at any moment to take him away to another part of the castle. Only when he confirmed once more that he was alone, Charles looked outside again.

It wasn't one of the tallest windows or balconies of the castle, which meant Charles was only able to see the city that surrounded it and the far away orchards on the horizon line. It was a good view, to see people going by their daily chores on the city down there, merchants talking to people or announcing their merch, men and women carrying baskets or barrels through the streets, some kids running and playing on the small open spaces between the many houses and stores, as well as seeing the far away trees, but Charles knew now that the higher he was, the better was the view.

At the height he was now, he couldn't even see the drop of the cliffs that surrounded Genosha's capital.

He had seen paintings of that place his entire life while growing up, had learned about Genosha when he was taught about the Four Mutant Kingdoms, but it was only now that he was there that he was able to witness what those paintings and stories depicted. The castle and the city around it were on top of a great plateau, a tall cliff separating the fields down there from the power center of the kingdom — attacking Genosha's capital by earth was difficult, if not impossible; Charles had already tried to map out the area and look for weak spots in moments where he needed to keep his mind busy with something, but he could never find a way where an army by foot could ever reach the capital. It was quite impressive, and to say that the place was imposing was a given.

On the ground level, which was reached by elevators placed throughout the plateau borders and that could easily be destroyed in case of an invasion — another point Charles considered while casually looking for weak spots —, the farms cultivated their crops and cared for their animals, with a few towns in the distant horizon. It didn't matter how much time passed since Charles arrived, he couldn't help but admire the view. It was completely different from Westchester, and he couldn't tell if it helped or made worse the longing for home he had once in a while. There were no hills surrounding Genosha; that place was not Charles' home. 

Charles wondered for a moment if he could go up on a tower and admire the view now that he was allowed to be alone for a few hours, but he didn't want to test his luck. As much as Erik had given him freedom to do what he wanted — as long as it didn't break any of the rules Erik had set for him —, he couldn't help but feel like he shouldn't do it, to suspect that there could be a trick to it and that Erik would show his true colors once Charles tried something. He tested the waters again and again with Erik, daring to talk more and more freely and studying Erik's reactions as carefully as possible without his telepathy; so far, the King seemed to be true to his word of wanting Charles to talk to him, encouraging him to do so multiple times, but not for a moment Charles forgot where he was of  _ what _ he was now.

His hands brushed against the metal on his wrists and moved to touch the collar that suppressed his telepathy once again, like he did so many times now, sighing. The silence of the minds around him still terrified him, but it was what guaranteed that Westchester would rise again, and that was the only thing that mattered in the end.

He'd make Genosha his home if it meant Westchester would be alright. He'd let himself be ruled by the Genoshan King if his home was restored.

Instead of going to the towers, Charles decided to go somewhere closer, somewhere where he knew Erik's powers would still be able to feel the metal of the wristbands and the collar properly. He had already mapped out the entire castle in his moments of boredom, already knew where every corridor would lead, so it wasn't hard to find a small common room that had a few shelves full of books where he could stay and pass his time. At the very least, Charles had been able to learn more about Genosha with his stay there, able to get his hands in history books that Westchester didn't own and get Genosha’s view on its own history and mutant history — Genosha was the oldest mutant settlement, after all.

When he entered the common room, his eyes already darting to the books there to find one to occupy his mind, it took a moment for him to realize that Emma Frost was there, sitting with her eyes staring at the flames of the lit fireplace. He stopped in his tracks, eyes moving to her as he once again lamented the loss of his telepathy — if the collar around his throat wasn't there, he would've felt her before entering the room, and Charles realized that the same applied to her as his eyes went down to her own collar.

_ Right, Shaw's also at the meeting with Erik, _ Charles remembered,  _ and couldn't bring her. _

He considered leaving, his mind reminding him of how her thoughts felt on the day he arrived at Genosha — her presence was unsettling to Charles ever since that day. Her mind had been cold, a mix of helplessness as she stood quietly with the collar around her throat and pure cold hatred for the damned thing and the man who had put it on her. Shaw had hinted to breaking her so she didn't disobey, so she stayed loyal, but there was nothing broken about her. Tougher than she looked.

When her eyes finally met him in that small common room, Charles decided to stay, too late to leave now after being seen, moving to the shelves and fishing for a book to look through its contents. Emma's eyes, however, seemed to be burning against his skin as she observed him. Charles made sure to keep his back turned to her, schooling his expression as much as he could to hide the uncomfortable feeling of being so closely watched — as much as he was watched all day every day now that he belonged to Erik, it never gotten less unsettling.

"You're either really stupid or really smart to have done what you did." for a moment, Charles had trouble linking the voice he heard with Emma. He didn't remember hearing her voice in the time he had been at Genosha; he finally turned around to look at her. "Giving up your freedom for the chance of having Genosha by Westchester's side when it's all over… Honorable, but idiotic."

"It was what I needed to do." Charles said, lips turning into a thin line at the woman's words. "They wouldn't accept a telepath by their side anyway, I’m sure you know that well... Like this I get to keep my life and my people, and my sister gets the kingdom back. It's a good deal."

The woman huffed out a laugh, the corners of her lips rising although her expression still seemed hard and cold. Charles only watched as she shook her head, apparently surprised with something.

"I've heard about you before, Charles of Westchester. Cunning little thing, you are." her eyes were on him again, piercing, as if trying to see into Charles' mind even if she couldn't. "When the Queen of Muir told us that Westchester would be the next one to fall, Shaw and Lehnsherr weren't very happy with the idea of an uncollared telepath arriving if the stories about you were true, so I wondered what you'd come up with to deal with them.  _ Never _ in my wildest dreams I thought you'd just hand yourself in and give up your pride to become a pet like the rest of our kind."

"Any other option would result in war against Westchester once the humans were dealt with."

"I know." she said, the smile never leaving her lips. "And I was surprised you've chosen what you did."

"You shouldn't be, not when Westchester is nothing but ruins." the smile on Emma's lips died down a fraction as Charles' face turned harsher. "In the end there wasn't much of an option for me. Trust me, I thought about every single outcome before arriving here."

There was silence as they stared at each other, both trying to see something in the other's face, both telepaths without their powers to rely on. When Charles didn't avert his eyes, Emma nodded.

"I guess he's a better man than Shaw is." her voice turned colder as she said her King's name, eyes turning back to the fire with a thoughtful expression. "Or any other telepath owner, for that matter. So you won't have to deal with half as much as the rest of us."

Charles' eyes softened slightly at her, wishing he could see her mind right now, see what she was thinking and what she meant with her words, even if somehow he already knew.

Telepaths in the Four Mutant Kingdoms lands would only have two ends: death, or a life of submission and without using their powers unless they were allowed to. He heard stories when he was small, had seen in other people's minds how the surviving telepaths were treated — like whores and exotic servants, like decoration, as if they were only living furniture for their owners. He had enough nightmares of it happening to him when he was a child to understand what Emma meant, but he wondered if that was the case for her. 

He had been confused with how uncomfortable Erik seemed to have him by his side at all times, thinking that maybe he just didn’t like Charles’ presence — a telepath’s presence. Charles had questioned him one day, when he couldn’t conceal his curiosity, when he felt like he could almost beg to have a look into Erik’s mind and find out what he was thinking, and Erik had looked at him with a tired look before answering.

“There’s a reason why telepaths are banned from Genosha.” he had said as he raised his eyes from some document he was reading before, eyes shining grey up at Charles with the light of the room. “As much as we always thought your kind was dangerous, there was never the desire in my ancestors to let our people own another mutant when we fought so hard to get away from the hands of humans. The telepaths that weren’t killed for trying to rebel were exiled to the other kingdoms or died on No Man’s Land trying to survive on their own. I’ve told you before that the only reason you’re here is to make sure you or Shaw won’t try anything.”

He understood how lucky he was for that, lucky that Erik hadn't touched him or used him in any way yet, had treated him as a living being instead of a  _ thing. _ He wondered if that would ever change for him, if Erik’s ideals would change, and felt the collar around his throat suddenly tighter, if he was hiding that he didn't follow his ancestors' ideas. Charles was being treated well, but he was there to serve either way, just like Emma. There, with the collar around his throat, Charles was no King.

With the collar, he and Emma were as good as humans — he tried not to think of himself and the woman there as animals, domesticated, but animals either way.

"Don't pity me, Charles Xavier." Emma's eyes turned to him again, the same flame that burned on the fireplace burning inside her eyes. "I don't need my powers to know what you're thinking."

"It's just not fair..."

"We have it good, sugar. King Erik is a good man, severe but good, and Shaw is stupid and coward enough to only be a pain in my ass." she shrugged. "If you're worried that he abused me, don't. He doesn't try anymore. Not after I stabbed him for trying."

Charles raised his eyebrows, eyes widening at her words as a grin appeared on her lips. That wasn't what Charles expected to hear.

"But-"

"I'm still alive after that, yes, because I'm valuable and because a man like Shaw would never admit to anyone that he got stabbed with a butter knife by a powerless telepath." she shrugged again, eyes shining with some amusement as she watched Charles' expression. "We made a deal where he wouldn't put his hands on me if he didn't want me unleashing hell on him. He didn't want to lose my powers and the status that  _ 'having me' _ gave him, so he agreed. Now I just stand quiet next to him as he pretends he has more power than he actually does over me."

_ Tougher than she looks for sure, _ Charles thought, huffing out a laugh out of the absurdity of Emma's words. She smiled then, and Charles caught her eyes softening at him, even if just a little.

"I'm sorry for you losing your kingdom…" she said, voice less cutting than before, sincere. "I hope this deal can bring it back. I always heard Westchester was a safe haven for telepaths ever since you became King. Something like this needs to exist again."

Charles nodded shortly, a lump on his throat at the mention of his home.

"All we can do now is hope."

Charles watched as Erik rubbed his eyes when the last person left the throne room after the public forum, more tired and stressed with each day that passed and with each townsperson that came before him. They all had the same complaint to make: humans had attacked their towns and villages, and they needed Erik's help to rebuild and to feed the people after the destruction the humans were able to create. 

Charles was always around Erik, which meant he was able to pick up on the increased number of attacks to the Genoshan borders with each forum and each report from Erik's generals, but he had noticed that, curiously, none of the people there had been from towns on the north border, where Westchester and Genosha met. The attacks seemed to be mainly on the south side.

Thankfully, they seemed to be nothing to worry about just yet, only minor attacks that left a trail of financial losses and a few injured mutants to those towns, but no deaths yet. Charles dreaded the moment this would shift, that he'd hear about a Sentinel accompanying the attacks, and suddenly Genosha would be under true danger. Charles guessed the machines were still not ready for something after the attacks on Hel, Muir and Westchester, but he knew it wouldn't be long until they were.

Erik had heard every plea for help, had done what he could with what he had in hands to tend to the towns that needed more, and he looked exhausted there, his body tense on his throne as he kept his eyes closed, thinking. Without thinking much, Charles walked closer to the throne and placed a hand on Erik's shoulder, squeezing shortly in a comforting gesture. He had stood by the side of the King the entire time, biting his tongue not to say anything on some of Erik's decisions, and he guessed that now that it was just him and Erik there, he was able to do something.

Erik's eyes rose to look at him at the touch, the light that entered the throne room turning them into a shade of blue and green, and his expression quickly softened as he saw Charles there. The King's hand moved to take Charles' from his shoulder, holding it to his lips and placing a thankful kiss to Charles' knuckles, as if appreciating the telepath's presence there, his lips soft against Charles' skin. 

They had become more and more intimate as time passed, kisses becoming more and more common between them; it wasn't a surprise to Charles, especially with how they were always together, from morning to night. Charles had the impression that, before he arrived, the Genoshan King had been a lonely man. Charles had Raven back in Westchester to help him carry the burden of the crown; he couldn't imagine the weight Erik had over his head at that moment, with everything that was happening. That soft kiss on Charles' knuckles seemed like a silent  _ thank you _ just for being there.

Part of Charles enjoyed it, the other part remembered he wasn't there exactly by choice.

"I wonder sometimes if Irene wasn't wrong." Erik said, voice quiet as his hand kept holding Charles' and rubbing his thumb in circles over Charles' skin. Charles didn't move it away, enjoying the touch more than he would like to admit. "If we should be attacking sooner rather than waiting for Spring."

"She's known as Destiny for a reason, my liege. I understand your worries, but I believe she was right in waiting." Charles smiled then, amused, making Erik raise an eyebrow at him. "Besides, if Shaw wanted to attack early, then I'm sure Irene's was the right option."

Erik laughed, some of the tension leaving his body with Charles' words, making Charles smile a little wider. It felt good not to have to be silent, to talk to Erik and be able to speak his mind. He could still feel the metal on his skin that marked him as Erik's, and he couldn't say he didn't resent the King for it sometimes even if he was the one who asked to wear them, but, after wearing them for nearly three months, he had started to get used to it. The lack of minds around him was still unsettling, it was something he didn't think he would ever get used with, but it didn't bother him as much as it did before.

Freedom on not being free. He guessed it was easier to deal with his fate like that, by being ignorant about the true relationship between him and Erik. It felt better, he guessed, to look at the Genoshan King and see a friend, see the man who kissed with a fire that burned Charles' whole body, or that smiled at Charles' jokes, instead of seeing the man who owned him. And, by the gods, it was easy to forget.

Despite himself, despite the moments where Charles despised his shackles and the man who put them on him, Charles felt a fondness growing for the Genoshan King as the days went by. He could almost hear Raven's voice in his mind saying he was too soft, that he forgave too easily, but it was hard not to get attached to the man who spent every hour of everyday with him.

"Don't let Sebastian hear your words, Charles. I don't want to have to fight him because he can't take the truth." Erik was still grinning as he said those words.

Charles smiled back, moving to get even closer to the King and sitting down across his lap. His feet thanked the rest that sitting down provided after hours standing up, and Charles saw Erik smile at him with the action. He liked when Charles allowed him to have Charles close, and Charles couldn't say he didn't like it as well. He guessed it just felt good to have someone near, to touch someone else — besides, Erik  _ was _ attractive and, most of the time, warm.

"I would never. I wouldn't want you having to fight because of me."

"I would." Erik's arms moved to hold Charles' body then, his hand resting on Charles' thigh and making Charles shiver slightly at the touch. "You're under my protection after all, are you not?"

"I am." Charles confirmed, seeing Erik's smile widen a bit more before he leaned forward for a kiss.

Charles kissed back immediately, feeling light-headed with the heat that ran up his body for a moment at Erik's careful touches and the kiss that was being placed over his lips; he cursed at himself for allowing Erik to have that effect over him. He wasn't supposed to enjoy the way Erik's fingers pressed against his skin through the fabric of his pants or the way Erik's lips kissed him, and yet it all made him want  _ more. _

After that morning where Erik reprehended Charles for trying to let Erik bed him without him wanting Erik to, they hadn't brought up the topic of sex again — mostly because Charles wanted to test how true Erik was being about him not taking from Charles what he wouldn't give freely —, but each day it seemed to get harder to deny Erik and himself. His body seemed to burn with desire, and it didn't help that Charles hadn't had anyone in a while; he wondered just how much more he could hold back to keep testing Erik's good will, to see just how trustworthy the King of Genosha really was.

"I guess I was wrong." Erik said when they parted the kiss, pupils blown wide as he looked at Charles' lips with clear interest.

"About?" Charles asked, licking his own lips on purpose and seeing the spark that crossed Erik's eyes at that.

"I needed a telepath."

Charles laughed, the sound filling the throne room and making Erik look up at his eyes with a smile on his lips for making him laugh. The heated moment died there, and Charles once more in those few months felt his fondness for Erik grow when he didn't force the moment to go back, to try and get into Charles' pants. 

Weirdly enough, it made him want Erik more.

"There's someone from your kingdom coming today to have a meeting with me." Erik said as they walked to the throne room, his words making Charles' steps falter for a second. "One of the few that stayed on the western settlement. They are probably coming to ask for something."

"Do you know their name?"

"No, they'll be introduced in the throne room. I just thought it would be better to warn you first in case you know that person."

"Thank you…"

The whole time, Charles wondered if it would be a familiar face greeting him that day. He knew most of the survivors of Westchester had settled on a small village on the west portion of Genosha, not accompanying Charles and Raven towards the capital, but he wasn't sure who exactly was there. He never got the chance to go to the village before he gave himself to Erik, and Raven had been too busy with her duties as a new ruler and with keeping Charles on her sights at all times to visit their people as well. The person there could be anyone.

Charles once again stood by Erik's side as the King sat on his throne, face serious as he fixed his tunic, and waited for someone to bring the Westchesterian in. Charles' hands were fidgeting behind himself, fingers pinching the skin of his hand in a nervous manner as he tried to calm himself down and waited. Erik was probably able to feel the movements of his hands thanks to the metal on his wrists, blue-grey eyes turning to look at Charles for a moment before he looked forward again at the doors that finally opened.

Recognition was immediate and it made Charles' breathing stop as he saw her, the sight of her hitting him like a punch to the stomach. Her red hair looked even more red against the black of the clothes she wore, longer than what Charles remembered from the last time. There was a leather bracelet on her wrist with a wooden Songbird with its wings spread, painted with black, blue and golden — Westchester's symbol and color. Charles remembered giving her that bracelet years ago, when she was just a kid.

Her eyes were focused on Erik at first, a serious look in her clear blue eyes, until she saw Charles there, stopping on her tracks to widen her eyes just like Charles was doing. For the first moment ever since he arrived in Genosha, Charles didn't care about the role he had and if he should stay still and quiet next to the King, moving towards the girl as he felt a weight being lifted from his chest while seeing her again. Alive, she was alive and well, that seemed to be all that mattered.

"Jean…"

"Charles!"

They hugged tightly, Charles' arms holding Jean close as he tried to contain the joy of seeing her again.

During the attack, Charles had been separated from the girl when two groups of survivors were formed, splitting themselves as they went through the land to reach Genosha and try for safety. It was a tactic to make sure that, if the Sentinels found them, some could still survive as they went through different paths. Charles knew that the group that wasn't with him had arrived at Genosha — they were the ones to stay at the settlement on the west portion —, but he hadn't known who made it and who didn't. 

He realized only then that Jean had a collar like his around her throat, blocking her telepathy. It was the price of staying in Genosha, but at least she was free.

"There were news- rumors... that arrived in the settlement weeks ago." Jean said when they looked at each other, her voice quiet for only Charles to hear, eyes wet with tears as she stared at Charles with a frown. "They said you are no longer King, that you became a pet."

"Whatever I've done, I did it for the future of our people." Charles' voice was strained as Jean stared at the collar around his throat and noticed the metal around his wrists. "You don't have to worry about me, child. I'm alright."

"I take it that you know each other." Erik's voice seemed to echo on the large throne room, making both of the telepaths stare back at him. There was a hard look in his eyes. "And another telepath, if the suppression collar around your throat is any hint… Westchester seems to breed telepaths well."

Charles frowned at Erik's words, trying to understand what he meant by them. He seemed uneasy with Jean's presence.

"Jean Grey was my pupil back in Westchester. I took her in when she was just a child, before I was even King... It's a shame the war had to tear us apart."

Erik didn't say anything else about that, only waving his fingers slightly and tugging Charles' wrists slightly in a clear message to go back to his place back by the King's side. Charles stared at the King for a moment more, knowing Erik only tugged the metal on Charles' body whenever he was suspicious of Charles or when he crossed a line that Erik didn't want him to cross. There were two telepaths in a room with him now, and Charles guessed Erik didn't feel very comfortable about it after all.

He pushed back disappointment at that, reminding himself one of the reasons why he had the collar around his throat: Erik didn't trust him. He should stop forgetting it.

Charles gave Jean a last look before he did as he was told, taking a deep breath as he stood by the side of the throne, Jean's eyes moving from Erik to Charles a few times, barely concealed worry in her eyes.

"Please, say what you came here to say." Erik ordered.

Jean nodded, moving her weight from one feet to the other for a moment like she always did when she was considering the best words to say in a situation. The gesture made the corners of Charles' lips rise a bit, affection filling his chest for a moment.

"Thank you for having me, your Majesty. It's very kind what you're doing for my people." her voice was serious now, but Erik didn't seem impressed. Charles wished his telepathy wasn't being suppressed at that moment, wanting to know what the King was thinking. "I came in the name of our settlement to ask for supplies for the village. Our food is almost all gone, as well as medical supplies to deal with the wounded. There are people still healing from the attack on Westchester, unfortunately. Winter is coming soon, and there aren't enough houses to keep both the Genoshans that were already there and the Westchesterians who took shelter in the village safe. The Genoshans were kind enough to share their houses with wounded and children, but most of us are in tents that won't be able to stop the cold. Your kindness in letting us stay in Genosha is already great, but we are in desperate need for supplies..."

"I can send a portion of the food to the village, but I'm afraid it won't be much. There are other villages and towns in Genosha going through hard times thanks to the human attacks, which means they're my priority. And about the housing, I cannot help you with that."

"But, your Majesty-"

"Child, resources are valuable at the moment considering the amount of refugees I have in my kingdom right now." Erik's voice was calm but authoritative, making Jean close her mouth before she could say something else. By his side, Charles felt his chest clenching at the situation his people were facing. "Genosha is now shelter for the other three fallen kingdoms, two of them with more survivors in my lands than Westchester. I  _ cannot _ waste resources like that."

"If we stay in our tents during winter, half of our people will die from the cold…"

"I'm sorry, child. There is nothing I can do."

"Could I talk to you for a moment?"

Erik's eyes turned from Jean to Charles with a curious and surprised look, clearly not expecting Charles to talk during a moment like that — he had never done it before, so the surprise was expected. Charles looked back at the King, an urgent expression on his face as he hoped Erik would accept his request. To his relief, the King nodded slightly, studying Charles' face for a moment before looking back at Jean.

"You are dismissed for now."

Jean nodded, uncertain, eyes falling on Charles with curiosity and worry still present there before she turned back to leave. When the doors were closed after her, Charles took a deep breath and closed his eyes, feeling the weight of his fallen kingdom on his back once again.

_ Deep breaths, _ Charles thought to himself, trying not to let the weight take the best of him.  _ Do  _ not _ break, not now. _

"I suppose you'll try to convince me to change my mind." Charles looked at Erik again then, seeing a hard expression in Erik's face as he waited for Charles to talk.

"Give them the supplies, Erik. Genosha's Winter is nothing compared to Westchester's, but without houses to keep themselves warm they'll die."

"You heard me, Charles. Resources are valuable right now-"

"We have a  _ pact. _ You are supposed to protect my people."

"I believe even the Ancient Magic won't get in the way of me protecting  _ my people _ above others. My duty is with the Genoshans."

"Six hundred and thirty seven." Erik stopped for a moment, confused at Charles' words. Charles, however, tried to keep his voice and face leveled as he talked, knowing he was failing. "Six hundred and thirty seven is the number of survivors from the attack on my kingdom, and that's counting the ones that left and not counting the ones that died during the travel to Genosha or that died after arriving. Six hundred and thirty seven out of three thousand, eight hundred and sixty five. I  _ cannot _ let more people die, Erik…"

Charles remembered the silence that fell under Westchester when the attack was done, when they were going through the tunnels in the hills to escape their deaths. Charles had his telepathy still, he could feel people dying, and the feeling had been morbid and almost too much. So many lives lost that the thought of one more person dying felt terrifying.

Erik seemed to take in his words, hard expression giving away for a surprised one. Charles needed him to listen.

"I know your duty is with your people, but I  _ beg _ of you, Erik… Help my people. I couldn't help thousands of them months ago, but  _ you _ can help them now."

Erik sighed, torn between his prior decision and Charles' words, and Charles only waited, hoping that Erik would change his mind.

"Sometimes," Erik's voice was quiet, eyes looking away from Charles as he talked, "I wonder if the collar is truly working. You have a way to bend my mind even with it around your throat…"

The last weeks of Autumn were upon them, the leaves already almost all fallen from the trees as the cold settled in. When Raven requested to visit Westchester's settlement in Genosha and to bring Charles with her, Charles thought Erik would deny it due to the cold weather and the fact that it involved Charles.

"Your brother cannot leave my side, your Highness." Erik had said, Raven's expression turning displeased. Charles noticed he still referred to Raven as a princess rather than a queen.

"Then come with us, your Majesty." her words had sounded forced, as if the idea of having Erik with them was the worst of evils. "I believe your people will be glad to see you just as ours will be glad to see us."

When Erik agreed and Raven left the room, Charles had taken Erik's hand to place a thankful kiss on his knuckles, seeing the King looking at him with curious eyes. Charles wanted to see his people, to check who survived, even if it meant he would show up with the collar around his throat and no crown on his head anymore.

The next day, they were on the road, the horses running through the path between the fields of Genosha as they made their way to the Westchesterian settlement. The village was three days away from the capital, so, at night, the small party that accompanied him, Erik and Raven would set camp to rest before continuing their journey.

On the first night of traveling, Charles watched Erik getting ready to go to sleep, pinching his clothes as he looked from Erik to the exit of the tent.

"I was wondering," Charles finally said, eyes moving to Erik again as the King's eyes rose to stare back at him, "if I could go see my sister tonight. We haven't been together alone for… For months now."

Erik watched him for a few more seconds before nodding. Charles gave the man a smile, seeing Erik smile back at him quickly before going back to what he was doing. Charles didn't say anything else before leaving Erik's tent and walking with quick steps to Raven's. As he stepped inside, Raven gave him a bright smile.

It had been so long since Charles had been able to truly talk to Raven that the moment felt comforting. It almost felt like the nights where they would meet in a random room in the Westchester castle and talk until both of them couldn't stay awake anymore. He missed that, missed the last bit of family he still had. The hours they spent there felt like only minutes.

As the siblings talked, Raven stopped the conversation to give Charles a big grin before taking and opening one of her bags, making Charles' eyes widen and his mouth water as he saw the small pie she was holding and smelled the scent of it.

"I got one of the cooks in the castle to bake it for me after I gave him the instructions." she said, taking a few napkins and a dagger from her bag, cutting a slice of the pie.

"Is it like the ones back home? Strawberries?" 

"I thought we deserved a taste of home after so much time in Genosha." she gave Charles a smile, making him smile back.

As they both took a bite of their slices, however, it dawned on them that it didn't taste exactly like the pie they used to eat back at Westchester; something was off, not the same. It made both siblings look at each other with gloom in their faces, and Charles didn't need his telepathy to know that Raven was thinking the same thing as him.

It felt almost too close to their situation how that pie that they had grown up loving back at home didn't taste the same. Home wouldn't be the same if it was ever restored. Charles wouldn't go back to Westchester and Raven would rule, but there would be other changes, other small things that would never be the same in Westchester.

The same, but different. An imitation of what it was and will never be again.

"It's not fair." Raven said quietly. Charles only nodded, putting his slice down as he tried to keep his face schooled.

He felt like he could cry for the first time in months and felt idiotic at the fact that a piece of pie had been the cause of it. He hadn't cried when Westchester was destroyed or when they made their way to Genosha for shelter, his mind too focused on surviving and keeping his people alive to do so. He hadn't cried when he gave himself to Erik, when he sacrificed his freedom and his crown for the sake of Westchester, especially because he didn't want Erik to see him cry. But now, as Autumn left and Winter slowly started to come, as the promise of a war left a bitter taste on his tongue and an ache on his bones, as that food that was supposed to comfort him brought him more dread, Charles felt like he  _ could _ cry.

So much lost, so much still left to lose… So much that would never come back.

"It was never fair for us, and I'm afraid it'll never be." his voice was quiet, somber, as his eyes stared at the ground. He could feel Raven's eyes on him. "We were children when our father died and we lost the right to the throne, we were young when we fought back for it, and we were happy when the humans destroyed Westchester and took that happiness away from us. I guess I've given up thinking anything would ever be easy in our lives."

"Is that the reason you were so quick to offer yourself to Erik?" Raven's voice was bitter, making Charles purse his lips. She hadn't accepted it yet. "To make a  _ bloody pact _ that can't be broken?"

"It was the only way, Raven-"

"No, it wasn't. You could've fought  _ harder." _

Charles raised his eyes again, looking at Raven and seeing regret appear on her face immediately after her words. For a moment, there was only silence, until Charles felt the rush of emotions hitting him.

"I fought for survival every day of my life." Charles' voice was a whisper, but no less angry, and his words no less biting. "Or have you forgotten what I would turn into if someone found out about my telepathy back then? I fought since Father died to keep it a secret, to keep both of us alive, to get our kingdom back to us. I fought to keep Jean hidden and teach her how to hide her telepathy so she would be safe as well. I fought our stepbrother and stepfather everyday, I fought myself everytime I thought of giving up. All I ever did was fight, Raven, and even now I'm still doing it to keep Westchester safe, to guarantee a future for what's left of our people, so don't take my submission to Erik as me giving up."

"It feels like it." Raven's words sounded strained, she seemed hesitant while talking. "Especially after what Irene told me months ago."

_ "What?" _

"I still don't want to believe her. I don't think you're that stupid to fall for  _ him…" _

Charles' eyes widened at her words, her yellow eyes staring at him with judgement and worry mixed together. Her words swirled through his mind for a few seconds, not really making sense, until they did.

_ Fall for him. _

_ Fall for Erik. _

Irene's words, so it was a prediction, a possible way the future could go — Charles falling for Erik. Suddenly, the presence of the collar around his throat was hard to ignore. 

Charles got up then, face blank and feeling his chest clenching as he felt once again like he was on the verge of tears, Raven's words and his memories taking away his calm. He needed to leave, he needed to  _ stop thinking. _

"Charles-"

"I'll go now. I suggest you try to sleep. Goodnight, Raven."

Before she could say something else, Charles left the tent, body shivering as the cold wind hit him, and he wondered what he could do. He couldn't run, couldn't walk through the trees that stood tall around them — straying away from Erik was dangerous considering their pact —, and he felt a helpless feeling take over him as he realized his only options were to stand in the cold where Raven could reach him if she tried to follow him, or to go back to Erik's tent and try to sleep if his mind allowed him that.

_ Fall for him,  _ his mind remembered Raven's voice saying, but how could he? It didn't make sense, did it?

He entered the dark tent, seeing Erik sleeping calmly on top of the furs that were spread on the ground, and sat down as far away from the King of Genosha as he could. He thought that was the moment where the tears would fall and he would cry, where he would finally break, but somehow they didn't come. Instead, there was only that heavy weight on Charles' chest that seemed to hurt, pressing down and down against his ribs and lungs and keeping him from breathing properly. If he could cry it would be better, but his face was dry. Instead, he felt out of air, and the collar around his throat suddenly felt suffocating.

He moved his hands to the dark metal that kept him from using his powers, his fingers grabbing onto it tightly and trying to pull it away, trying to loosen it so he could breathe, but the metal was cold and unyielding, hurting as Charles tried to pull. He didn't remember the last time panic like that had settled over his body, the last time he felt like there was no air for him to breathe, and he kept trying, pulling on the collar with his trembling hands to no avail, his blunt nails scratching the skin of his neck as he tried to suck in the air with his mouth, the world suddenly turning into a blur as his eyes lost focus and there was only the panic.

There were hands on his all of the sudden, and Charles' eyes took a moment to focus to see it was Erik there, staring at him with worried eyes and trying to take his hands away from the collar.

_ Fall for him,  _ Raven's words kept ringing inside his head, over and over again as if they couldn't settle.

Slowly, Charles allowed his hands to be pulled away as Erik whispered calmly that he was okay and that he should let go. He didn't complain as Erik pulled his body closer and made Charles lay down on the ground where Erik was sleeping before, the spot still warm where the other man had been laying down. Erik stayed close to him, making sure to pull Charles' hands away everytime that he tried to move them to the collar again — more than once, Charles felt Erik's hand holding his and rubbing his skin in a soothing manner.

After a few moments, Charles felt the metal around his throat expanding slightly. It wasn't off, but it seemed to be easier to breathe now. Minutes later, Erik's eyes seemed worried as he looked down at Charles.

"What happened?"

Charles closed his mouth shut, trying to think of what to say as he felt like he was able to talk again. He didn't want to explain his fight with Raven, didn't want to explain the memories that came back as he reminded her of what their lives had been, and he especially didn't want to explain about Irene's words to Erik — he was still struggling to understand them himself —, so he only sighed, turning his gaze away from Erik's, feeling his body aching from the panic but slowly relaxing.

"I miss home. That is all." he lied, although it wasn't exactly a lie.

Erik looked at him for a moment more, and suddenly Charles realized just how comfortable it felt as Erik held him. He was laid on the ground over soft and warm furs, Erik's body touching his side as one of his arms held Charles' middle, pulling him close in an almost embrace and keeping him warm. Comforting, pulling the panic away from him and allowing him to see and breathe again. He wondered when Erik had turned into comfort, when he stopped being a prison.

_ Fall for him, _ his mind reminded him again, and it suddenly didn't feel like it would be impossible, like the few moments Charles had allowed himself to see Erik with different eyes was what had led him there.

Meanwhile, Erik seemed to think of what to say next, silence falling over the dark tent for a while as Charles tried to make sense of his own thoughts, the metal against his skin a constant presence while he tried to understand himself.

"I've never been to Westchester." the King finally said, Charles' eyes going back to him at those words.

"Well, I have bad news for you then…" Charles tried, the dark joke hanging over his head heavily. Erik didn't seem too pleased with it.

"When I was a child and I learned about the Mutant Kingdoms, Westchester was always the one who fascinated me the most, I must say." Erik continued, the hand that held Charles' middle moving to brush a few strands of hair from Charles' forehead, the touch soft and — as much as Charles hated to admit — welcome. "I always loved hearing the stories about your kingdom, and the paintings were always the most beautiful ones. I always wanted to see for myself if the sun really rises and sets golden over the green hills."

Charles frowned for a moment, looking up at Erik and seeing him raise his eyebrows at his expression.

"Are you quoting that children's song?" Erik frowned, the corners of Charles' lips turning up slightly, some humor coming back to him with the memory of the song. "The one that talked about the Four Mutant Kingdoms?"

"If I am, it's not on purpose. I only remember the part about Genosha if I'm completely honest."

"And I only remember Westchester's part."

Erik smiled lightly, looking down at Charles, a spark crossing his eyes until he opened his mouth again.

_ "On top of the Earth's table, touching the blue firmament, there lies Genosha's capital, one of cities of old." _ he sang, voice slightly out of tune from what Charles remembered from the song, but making a smile appear on Charles' lips either way. Erik had a calm and soothing voice.  _ "Cliffs and elevators, soldiers tougher than steel, the oldest mutant city, what a sight to behold." _

_ "In the middle of green hills, where the sun rises and sets golden, there lies Westchester's capital, a city with so much to unfold." _ Charles kept going, although he was almost sure Hel's and Muir's verses were the one that came before Westchester's. The smile on Erik's lips widened a little more at the sound of Charles' singing voice.  _ "White winter storms, birds that humm sweet melodies, a calm mutant paradise, what a sight to behold." _

"The birds..." Erik said calmly, Charles' eyes now focused only on him. "I heard a lot about them ever since you and Raven arrived here."

"The Songbirds are Westchester's symbol… They used to sing every day back home. Always the same melodies, keeping Westchester full of song." Charles smiled, more memories coming back to him. Erik seemed to pay attention to every quiet word said in the darkness. "They would fly away during Winter, and we would take upon ourselves to keep the melodies going until they came back during Spring by singing at our houses almost every night. There were always Songbirds landing on the balconies of the castle and I… I used to hear them sing for hours and hours..."

Charles swallowed a lump on his throat, eyes leaving Erik's face as the need to cry came back. Erik seemed to notice something was wrong, holding Charles tighter but not saying anything.

"I'd stay on the balconies or on the palace gardens, ever since I was a child… Whenever I whistled something, they would sing it back to me and then sing their song." Charles felt his throat closing for a moment as he talked, that weight on his chest again, heavy and painful. "It was good."

This time, the tears came, rushing down his face and making a pained sound leave his lips after his words. He remembered days before the attack on Westchester, sitting on the balcony with the birds around him and Raven as both of them whistled back their melodies, the sun setting over the hills — the peace before the terror that would soon come. He remembered the happiness in his heart on those days, how everything seemed right after so long of it all being wrong. There was a dreadful feeling that he wouldn't have that feeling ever again.

At his next sob, he felt Erik's hold on him tighten a bit more, pulling him until Charles was laying on his side like Erik was. Charles' hands moved to hold the fabric of Erik's shirt to keep him there, seeking any comfort that he could get, painfully sobbing as he hid his face against Erik. He heard the King whispering something against his hair, kind and calm words, and Charles allowed him. There was nothing he could do but hold on to the other man and let out his sadness, let out the melancholy that followed him for months. So he sobbed, clenching his jaw whenever a louder sound wanted to leave his mouth, and held onto Erik for dear life.

He felt like those tears were long overdue, as if every bit of pain he had felt in his life was now leaving him as the salty tears made his face and Erik's shirt wet.

He didn't know for how long he cried, only that, at some point, the tears subsided and he was left with an empty feeling, tired and defeated. His hands slowly let go of Erik's shirt, the fabric now rumpled where his fingers had held it tightly, and he felt a kiss being pressed to his hair, Erik's face now visible to him as he moved back a little.

"Tell me about Genosha." Charles managed to say after what felt like hours, voice rough and weak, his hand raising to wipe away the last remaining tears from his face. "You haven't told me much about this place. It's… It's my home now, I guess. I want to know it. Tell me something you like about this place..."

There was an ache in his chest as he called Genosha his home, although it wasn't as painful as he thought it would be. He had become familiar with the kingdom after the months living there — had become familiar with Erik as well. Besides, he'd like to hear Erik talk about something so he could distract his mind. Anything so he could rest.

"There aren't many Songbirds here." Erik gave him a smile, tentative, and Charles tried to smile back. "But there's a forest to the north of the capital… You had to cross it to arrive there when you left Westchester. It's known as Weidenholz Forest. Genoshans go there when they need a break from their lives in search of hope or healing. There's a willow in the middle of the forest that is told to hold Ancient Magic in its bark. It's almost a sacred place."

Charles remembered the forest, not remembering any willows in there, but he had felt a peaceful presence there, Ancient Magic running through the trees and pulsating around him when he stepped inside. It had been calm there, had allowed Charles, Raven, and the other refugees to rest and find water and food — provided for them as places like that forest usually did for mutants. If that was the forest Erik was talking about, it was a good place. He'd like to go there again.

As the night kept going, silent and dark, Charles was lulled to sleep by Erik's soft words about his homeland, the feeling of the King's arms around him giving security enough for his tired mind to relax. Before falling to sleep fully, he felt a kiss being placed over his forehead, quiet words that he didn't understand whispered against his skin, almost like a blessing.

_ I don't think you're that stupid to fall for him, _ Raven had said. His tired mind wished his telepathy was still working, that the collar wasn't there, so he could send over to Raven that maybe he was stupid after all.

He dreamt with songbirds and willow trees that night, Erik's voice in the back of his dreams calming him down.

Charles' eyes ran through what he could see of the small village as they approached it, his hands holding the reins of his horse tightly as he watched familiar faces passing by. The refugees of Westchester seemed to work hand in hand with the local Genoshans, carrying buckets of water and wood around, the sound of construction filling the place as Charles could observe new houses being built with the materials Erik had sent them. Even so, Charles could see a few wounded here and there, limping or with bandages around parts of their bodies to hide the damage they had suffered during the attack months ago. A few of them, Charles noticed, had lost one or more of their limbs.

Those were the ones who had healed so far, and Charles wondered how many more wounded were hidden inside the existing houses, longing for his telepathy to know the answer, to maybe soothe them in case they needed. The feeling of helplessness was almost overwhelming.

When the people of the village finally noticed their arrival, all eyes went to them, Westchesterians turning their faces and stopping whatever they were doing to look at Charles. He could see some eyes fall to the collar around his throat, the mark of an imprisoned telepath, but some simply looked into his eyes, surprised and seemingly relieved to see him again.

"Sire!" he heard a voice call from the crowd, his eyes following its sound until he saw Alex Summers making his way through the crowd, his hair longer than what Charles remembered from the last time — but then again, so was Charles'. Darwin followed behind closely, eyes on Charles as well. "My gods, it's you..."

Charles smiled lightly at him, face turning towards Erik in a silent question, asking if he could get down the horse and go to them — he would like to not ask permission, but he remembered Erik's reaction to Jean a month prior; he didn't want to repeat that. Erik gave him a quick nod, his face calmer than it normally was as he looked back at Charles, and soon Charles was jumping off of the horse and making his way towards the other man.

He held Alex on a tight hug, sighing in relief at seeing him again after so long, and soon his arms were around Darwin as well.

"Only a few losses on our way here, Sire." Darwin mumbled as he hugged Charles back, making Charles smile and hold him tighter. "A few losses due to fatal wounds, but we're safe now."

"That's good to hear. Really good." Charles pulled back from the hug, seeing that Jean was coming closer to them followed by Scott and Logan. "But I'm not your Sire anymore. I'm sure you've heard the news."

"Did he force you, Sire?" Alex insisted, eyes hardening as he looked over at Erik, who got down from his horse with his eyes studying the village and the people around him before they fell over Charles again, and then over Alex's harsh glare. 

"No one forced me to do anything, Alex. This was my decision."

"Bold decision." Logan said as he got closer, his expression almost unreadable as he stared at Charles and the collar. 

"Desperate times, my friend." Charles confessed, a spiteful smile appearing on his lips as he found himself having to explain his decision once more. He was getting tired of it. "The collar takes, but it also gives. Westchester will rise with Genosha's help as long as it stays around my neck."

"People want to see you, Charles." Jean said then, her eyes kind over him, making Charles smile at her. Raven and Erik approached them at those words, Erik standing by Charles' side as Raven hugged the others and tried to fill them in on everything. "I know you're not… You're not our King anymore, but they still want you. Especially the wounded."

"Aren't they ashamed of what I became?" Charles gave her a sheepish smile. By his side, Erik stared at him with an unreadable expression.

"They're happy that you're alive." Scott was the one to talk by Jean's side. Charles gave him a smile. "And I think we all would be happy to know what's coming next."

Charles looked over at all of them again, seeing their weary faces and how they had changed over the four months they had spent at Genosha. Some of them, before the attacks, still had a childish look to them — it was gone now, taken by the war and the deaths that they had to witness. If Charles' presence could somehow help them, Charles would be present, even if now it was Raven's duty to address their people. He turned his face to her, seeing her eyes on him as if she expected him to take her place.

"Then I guess I still have some things to say."


	4. WINTER

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **
> 
> CW // Sexual content.
> 
> **
> 
> And here we are at chapter 4, only 2 more to go! (I have some heavy editing to do for chapter 5 but hopefully I'll be able to post it next Friday ;-;). This is the calmest chapter of the bunch I guess, so I really hope you guys enjoy it! Together with the last chapter this was one of my favorites to write and I went all in on this one because I ended up deciding I needed more worldbuilding so I wrote a whole song just for this specific chapter (and even so the song was the least of the things I wrote just for this verse lmao You'll see what I mean in the next chapter).
> 
> Really hope you guys like this one, and if you guys want to have an idea of how the song in this chapter sound like, listen to Passerine, Notos and Torches by The Oh Hellos and you'll see ;) <3

**They sing in unison, the Songbird and the Lonely Man. There's love in the melodies, he's not lonely anymore;**

Erik looked up at the sky when he noticed the first snow falling around him at the end of that Winter morning, pressing his lips into a tight line of distaste as a few snowflakes landed on his face, cold against his skin. Erik wasn't particularly fond of snow, it was too rare for it to fall in Genosha considering the kingdom was more to the south than Westchester or Muir for Erik to make any good memories out of it. Usually, when snow fell, it only meant it would be colder for a period of time, the streets would be covered with ice, and it would be harder to grow the crops — mutations aiding it or not. Snow was never on the list of things Erik liked about Winter.

His eyes only left the grey skies when he heard a small pleased sound coming from his side, eyes moving to look at Charles and stopping there. The once King was smiling, red lips curved up gently as his cerulean eyes seemed to shine at the few snowflakes that fell calmly. Erik only watched with barely concealed admiration as Charles raised his hand, open palm turned to the sky. One snowflake landed there, white against Charles’ pale skin, making his smile widen a little bit as the small flake melted against his body heat.

“If it’s snowing here,” Charles started, eyes still on the palm of his hand and smile still on his lips, closing his fist as if he was holding the small melted snowflake in the safety of his grip, “there’s probably a snowstorm happening in Westchester at that exact same moment. Blankets of white covering the city.”

For once in his life, Erik felt grateful for the snow. Charles seemed comfortable around it, if the way his face seemed relaxed was any clue.

It was becoming more and more common for Erik to want to see a look like that in Charles' eyes, to see him enjoy Genosha even if he missed his home — God only knew what Erik would do to see Charles smile around him. It was becoming more common as well for Charles to smile more, to enjoy himself, to let himself be more carefree, although Erik was well aware that Charles still had his moments of gloom, of hating his stay, of touching the collar with a dark look in his eyes, but they were becoming less and less as time passed. When Charles promptly started telling Erik about Westchester during that time of year, a precious smile on his lips, Erik listened, eyes focused on the telepath's face while they walked side by side through the streets of the city around the castle.

Around them, people didn't seem to even notice Erik was among them as they busied themselves with closing their establishments and cleaning the streets as much as they could, some people walking around with barrels of Wheat Beer and rolled tarps over their shoulders to get them to the Grand Patteo. The whole time, Charles seemed to find some difficulty in focusing on talking about Westchester's winter storms when his blue eyes seemed to shine with barely concealed interest at the preparations going on around him. 

"It happens every year?" he finally asked, giving up on his own words, eyes accompanying a few people who carried boxes with lanterns inside of them.

"It's tradition." Erik replied, Charles' eyes moving to him for a brief moment before they were on the people again. "It happens every Winter ever since Genosha was created."

Imminent war or not, the people agreed that keeping the Winter Festival would lift people's spirits and give them something close to normality in times like these; besides, it would be a good way to give the refugees in the kingdom something to celebrate after struggling for so long. It wasn't their festivity, it was native to Genosha, but he guessed the music and dancing involved in the festival would translate to the refugees anyway — besides, Erik had sent word to the kingdom to welcome the other kingdoms' traditions into the celebrations and include them as much as they could. Whatever he could do to make people relax, to ease the fear in the face of the war that was coming, Erik would.

Every major city in Genosha celebrated at the first weeks of Winter, and Charles had smiled brightly as Erik assured him that some Westchesterians from the village they visited a month prior were arriving at the capital that same night for the celebrations.

Erik had requested for them to be brought to the capital himself after seeing how at ease Charles felt in that village when Autumn was still over them. It was more than clear that most of those people had been close to Charles back in Westchester, and, once again, Erik was willing to do anything to get Charles to enjoy that place, even if it meant bringing another telepath there — Erik didn't trust Jean, he didn't know her, but he'd be lying if he said he didn't trust Charles already at this point; he trusted him enough to know he wouldn't do anything.

It could be Erik's downfall, that trust, but he would rather believe it wouldn't be. Charles' life was tangled to his; the moment the pact between them was made, Erik was Charles' just as Charles was his. It had taken a while for him to notice that, but he knew it was true. It took Erik months to realize as well how similar it felt to the wrapping of cloth around the arms of two people getting married, two souls bonded for the rest of their lives.

Sometimes, even after months, Erik could still feel the power that kept them together pulsating against his wrist. He asked Charles one night, on the last day of Autumn when the night felt darker than it normally was, if he felt it as well. Charles had stayed silent for a while, face hidden by the darkness that flooded the room, making him think Charles had already slept. There were cold fingers on Erik’s arm suddenly, touching the skin of Erik’s wrist almost hesitantly — the same hand that had held Erik’s back when their pact was made —, and there it was again, the soft pulsing of power, made stronger by the touch.

“I never tried to pay attention to it,” the confession rang quietly in the dark room, Charles’ voice a whisper, “but yes. I can feel it even now...”

They stopped walking when they arrived at the Grand Patteo, next to one of the borders of the plateau where the capital of Genosha was situated, and Erik wasn't able to hold back the smile that graced his lips as he watched Charles observe the place getting ready to hold the festivities. There were tarps being put up high to keep the snow from settling there, lanterns being placed all over the place that he knew, from his own experience, would light the place with multicolored fire through the night. Some people already had instruments with them as the others worked, playing and singing cheerful songs that Erik remembered from when he was a child, making men, women and children smile and move as if controlled by the notes the people played and sang. He watched with some amusement as a lady with a small string instrument followed another woman around, singing and dancing around her as she placed the lanterns, both with big smiles on their lips. There weren’t any problems in the world for them at that exact moment, Erik realized.

"Winter was always too brutal in Westchester for us to do something like this." Charles said by his side, eyes turning to Erik again, an excited tone in his voice that made Erik's chest warm. "We used to have Spring and Summer celebrations, but Spring was always the special one... When the snow melted and the hills turned green again people would sing and dance through the streets. It was always a joy to watch…"

"Just watch?" the smile Charles gave him was sheepish at that.

"Me and Raven were royalty, things worked differently back in Westchester... When we were younger our father would sometimes allow us to go and enjoy the celebrations, but when he died and Marko took over, we were prohibited to join the crowd." Charles sighed at it, clearly frustrated. It was one of the only times Charles brought Kurt Marko up ever since arriving in Genosha. There was always a darkness in his gaze when he did. "When I became King, I didn't have the time to enjoy it, too busy trying to fix what Marko had broken back home. And now..."

It was hard to miss the gloom on Charles' face, the same one that always washed over him when he talked about his fallen kingdom for far too long — the same one that had caused Charles to give himself to Erik in order to try and save it. Meanwhile, a few snowflakes fell and stayed on Charles' hair, white against the dark locks. It was hard not to stare at the other man there, his body covered by the warm clothes Erik had given him at the start of Winter, hair adorned with a crown of snow, pale skin flushed by the slight cold breeze that blew, and cerulean eyes shining with the color of the Genoshan seas, stained by the saddened gaze he now had. He looked almost like something from a folk tale, a creature of the old stories like faes or sirens. It was almost breathtaking.

"Tonight you'll be here." Erik finally said, Charles' eyes finally turning back to him, some of the gloom leaving their blue. "You'll be able to be part of it as well."

Despite the sadness behind his eyes, Charles smiled.

"Those are Westchester's colors." Charles mumbled, making Erik wonder if that was a thought he was supposed to keep to himself instead of voicing it out loud.

He held the tunic Erik had given him as a gift for the occasion in his hands, blue eyes on the black fabric embroidered with blue and gold thread that formed a pattern of vines and leaves and, occasionally, the silhouette of songbirds. They were Westchester's symbol after all, Charles had said so himself, so it wasn't at all surprising that they'd appear on the King's clothes.

Erik had asked one of the Westchesterians that currently lived in the capital for the pattern — who better to know what the Westchester King would wear on a festival like that than one of his subjects? —, and he was sure that Raven was receiving a dress with something similar as well at that exact same moment, even if she didn’t really need the clothes considering her mutation.

For Raven, it was more of a peace offering, considering the woman still seemed to hate Erik. For Charles, it was something he wanted to give the other man. He refrained from thinking of the clothes as a courting gift, however.

"You are from Westchester." Erik said matter-of-factly, Charles' eyes not leaving the fabric for one second. "Every other King and Queen will wear their colors, and I thought that you should as well."

"I thought you'd like me to wear Genosha's colors." Charles' gaze finally went to him again, hands holding the tunic a little tighter as if it would disappear from his hands, the fabric crumpling on his grip. "I am… yours now, after all."

"Although I think you would look great in purple and maroon, we both know those aren't your colors." _We both know Genosha is not where your heart is_ was implied, but Erik didn't want to say the words out loud.

Charles remained silent for a while more, eyes watching Erik's face as if looking for _something,_ and Erik allowed him; behind his back, Erik's hands pinched his own skin as he waited for Charles' reaction. He saw the moment Charles' eyes softened, shoulders relaxing as he exhaled a breath with some kind of gratitude in his expression.

"It looks like one my father used to have." Charles smiled to himself as he said that, looking at the embroidery once more, his fingers touching the thread and following the vines on the fabric. Erik watched that smile, hypnotized. "He wore it only on special occasions. I've always loved it."

"So it's perfect for the occasion." Erik offered, seeing Charles nod.

As always, without care for Erik's presence in the room, Charles started to undress after placing the tunic carefully on their bed, fixing the part he had crumpled. Erik looked away at the first sight of Charles' pale skin, swallowing thickly as he forced himself not to look. Even with his eyes avoiding the other man, Erik could feel the familiar desire coil on his lower stomach, trying to push it away as much as he could — Charles hadn't given him the word yet, Erik wouldn't take him without it, but it was almost impossible not to desire.

He turned around after a few seconds, finding it easier to keep his eyes away by doing so, and waited, hearing the fumbling of clothes behind himself as Charles got dressed.

The time for the festival was nearing, the sun already setting on the horizon as people screamed and sang outside the castle and made their way through the streets — in the distance, if he looked through the balcony of his quarters, Erik would be able to see the Grand Patteo illuminated by the multicolored fire inside the lanterns. He had already been dressed, figuring it was better if he was ready before giving Charles the clothes he'd wear, so he tried to focus on the clothes he was wearing, taking his mind away from Charles so it wouldn't wander to places it shouldn't.

His tunic was long and loose against his body, the maroon and purple fabric incredibly light but warm at the same time. Charles' tunic had a heavier fabric, made to look exactly like a piece from Westchester, but Genosha wasn't as cold as its neighbor kingdom — there was never a need for a heavy fabric like that unless people were to travel to the far north. He liked the way the fabric seemed to move with him as he moved, fluttering around him in a way Charles' tunic wouldn't if it were to be as long as Erik's. Other than the tunic, there were the maroon briefs underneath, which felt comfortable against his skin as well.

Later, he knew his crown would be on his head to complete his outfit — silver metal adorned with rubies, as old as Genosha itself —, but for now he didn't need it. In fact, it had been a while since Erik had worn his crown. It was more symbolic than a needed piece anyway.

"How does it look?" Charles' voice brought Erik back to reality, turning around to look at the other man again and letting his eyes roam through him, taking in his figure.

 _Stunning_ was the first word that came to Erik's mind when he saw Charles there. The tunic fit him perfectly, so did the trousers that accompanied it, and something about the colors seemed to fit Charles perfectly. Erik noticed as well that the high collar of the tunic hid the suppression collar around Charles' throat, the sleeves hiding the wristbands — there, if it wasn't for the feeling of the metal on the back of Erik's mind, Charles looked like the man who entered the throne room all those months ago, the King of Westchester. Even Charles' posture and expression seemed more confident as he wore those clothes, as the symbols of his submission were hidden by the clothes that made him a King.

"It fits you well." Erik said finally, eyes going back up to Charles' face to see him smile.

"I still feel like I should wear something of Genosha." Charles mumbled, hands running through his tunic for a moment, still feeling the fabric as if he couldn't stop doing it. "I'm not even king anymore… I wear a collar instead of a crown."

Something dark crossed Charles' eyes, his hands falling to his sides as he clenched his jaw and looked intently at the ground. Whatever it was that he was thinking, Erik knew it would destroy Charles' mood at any moment.

"If you want to have something of Genosha, you could wear the _kohl_ like me."

Charles' train of thought seemed to break for a moment as he looked at Erik with confusion. Erik, in return, just gestured towards his eyes, lined with the _kohl_ one of the servants had carefully put on him earlier.

"I was wondering what it was." Charles quietly said, making Erik smile. 

"I don't normally wear it, although the Kings and Queens before me liked to use it more often." he explained, taking calm steps to one of the dressers in the room and rummaging through the stuff, looking for the small container of _kohl_ he kept there — his mother's, a memento. He turned to Charles again, feeling a small spark of euphoria in his chest at the thought of Charles' bright blue eyes with the _kohl_ around them. "I use it more on special occasions now."

When Charles reached for the _kohl,_ Erik gave it willingly, letting the man study the container carefully as he turned it over and over again, opening it to look at the small stick and putting some of the _kohl_ on his own skin, eyebrows raising at the dark pigment, cerulean eyes analysing every bit of it.

Erik knew Charles was curious and liked to learn things, he had found out about it when Charles finally allowed himself to do things without fear of being reprimanded, and Erik now had to constantly accompany him to the castle's library. More than once, Erik had woken up in the middle of the night with the sight of Charles with a warm blanket around his shoulders, sitting on the desk across from the bed as he read through the night with a candle by his side. Sometimes, when Charles realized Erik had woken up, he'd sit on the bed with the book and read it out loud.

"I used to read to Raven when we were kids," he had explained once when he saw Erik's eyes looking up at him curiously from his pillow, "I liked doing it… Do you mind?"

Erik hadn't minded, and he had found out very quickly that Charles' voice was as efficient as a lullaby, didn't matter what he was reading. It was almost impossible not to smile at the curiosity in Charles' eyes in front of him as he looked at the _kohl_ now.

"Let me." Erik said, taking the _kohl_ back carefully as Charles looked back at him. "Sit on the bed. Look up."

Charles did as he was told, his gaze never leaving Erik as he stepped between Charles' legs to get closer to him, reaching for his face. He tried closing his eyes at the first touch of the stick with _kohl_ power to his eyes, but Erik hummed in disapproval. A huff left Charles’ lips as he opened his eyes again.

"How do you do this? You're almost sticking it into my eye…"

"I'm not." Erik chuckled, trying again to apply the _kohl_ in Charles' eye. This time, Charles kept still, even if he could notice he was having a hard time not to close his eyes or back away from Erik. "It's not so difficult when you've been doing this your entire life."

"I'm afraid I haven't done that. There was no such thing in Westchester."

Charles blinked a few times once the first eye was done, still uncomfortable with the feeling of the stick touching his waterline, but soon he was looking up at Erik with his eyebrows raised, a silent question of how it looked.

"That's a shame. You look good with it." as Erik started painting the other eye, he noticed Charles cheeks flushing slightly, but didn't say anything about it.

Erik was done quickly with it so Charles would stop complaining, cleaning the smudge on one of Charles' eyes before stepping back to look at the other man. He regretted his decision when he saw just how blue Charles' eyes looked with the black around them, shining like gemstones. 

"Now you have something Genoshan to show as well." Erik said after cleaning his throat.

Charles got up from the bed again, walking to a mirror that was placed in one of the corners of the room and looking at himself, turning his head from side to side as he watched the black _kohl_ on his face. His expression was neutral for a moment, no hints if he liked it or not, but soon he seemed to shrug at the mirror.

"It doesn't look that bad, does it?" Charles asked, looking at Erik through the mirror. Erik gave him a simple nod.

"No, it doesn't." 

Erik watched as the people danced and celebrated through the Grand Patteo, laughter and music mixing together and bringing the warm happiness that always surrounded the Winter Festival ever since Erik was a little kid, remembering being at his father's side and dancing by himself to the rhythm of old Genoshan songs. This time — as well as for years now — Erik was the one seated at the throne reserved for the mutant that ruled over, a few smaller thrones available for the Kings and Queens of the other Mutant Kingdoms so they could partake on his privileged spot at the festival. 

Charles had frowned deeply when he saw five thrones instead of four, his jaw clenching when he noticed one of them would be his.

"I thought-" he had started, stopping himself halfway as Erik turned to look at him. He looked conflicted.

"You think too much." Charles' eyes raised at Erik with those words. Erik, in return, only smiled. "I won't let you wear the clothes of a King and then stand the whole night behind my throne. Come and sit by my side, Charles."

"And Raven?"

"She'll sit by your side."

"If I didn't know better," Charles said in a quiet voice, a small smile appearing on his lips as he said it, light-hearted, "I'd think you're trying to escape my sister, my liege."

"It's good that you know better then, Charles."

Erik had guided Charles by the small of his back, forcing him to move before Charles had any more objections about Erik's decision of letting him sit on a throne. Charles sat by Erik's right side, eyes looking as the Grand Patteo filled up with people at the start of the evening, some Westchesterians bowing for him when they saw him there and making Charles hesitate before greeting them back. He seemed unsure if he should or not, and Erik noticed as his fingers reached behind the tunic to his throat a few times, fingers brushing the collar. Not for the first time in the past months, Erik considered taking it out of Charles' throat, but stopped himself.

 _Dangerous,_ his mind warned, but the warning was weak.

Raven arrived at the Grand Patteo with Irene by her side, holding to her arm and guiding her through the small crowd that was forming. As Erik suspected, the dress she wore had a pattern similar to Charles', the difference being that the fabric was blue, almost as blue as her skin, and the vines were black with golden details here and there. He could see the heavy fabric covering her torso and arms as a lighter fabric opened in her middle as her skirt, floating around her with each step in a hypnotizing way. Like Charles', it didn't quite look like a piece from Genosha, and hopefully the woman had liked it.

Her eyes seemed to stop on Charles as she saw him on the throne, gaze going from her brother to Erik with surprise in her yellow eyes until her expression seemed to soften. She guided Irene to the throne to Erik's left, giving him a quick nod of approval before walking towards the throne by Charles' side and sitting down with a smile at him. Charles smiled back immediately, holding her hand tightly. By Erik's side, Irene touched his wrist, making him turn to face her.

The golden mask was covering her face again, the symbol of the ruler of Muir like Erik's crown was the symbol of Genosha — if Erik was honest, he always thought the mask was eerie, but he'd never admit to that —, while her form was covered by a long sleeved dress, light blue with white fur at the neck and wrists; it looked like a very complicated robe, tied in her middle by a piece of fabric. Like Westchester's, it seemed warmer than Erik's tunic.

"Pay attention to this night, Erik." she said, making Erik frown immediately. "You're leaning into a path I didn't think would be open, but that might help us."

"What?"

"Keep your mind open for the possibilities." for some reason, Erik could almost see the grin behind her mask as she said those words. "Spring is only two months away."

Her hand left Erik's wrist, sitting straight on her throne as Shaw finally arrived with Emma following closely behind — Shaw in all black and Emma in all white, except for the collar around her throat. Erik's mind stayed on Irene's words as Shaw took his seat by Irene's side, only going back to the moment when he noticed a group of people arriving minutes later.

Some of the Westchesterians who Erik had met on his trip to the village with Charles and Raven had finally made it into the capital to spend the time with their leaders — they seemed to see both Raven and Charles as the center of power now, even with Charles’ status as the Genoshan King’s telepath. They bowed to the siblings, both Raven and Charles receiving them with giant smiles on their faces, before they went to enjoy the festival for themselves. Erik could see as Darwin and Alex tried to dance like the Genoshans were dancing, laughing each time they got a step wrong and stopping to hug each other, smiles on the couple’s lips as they did so.

Jean was there too, Logan and Scott standing next to her as the telepath looked at everything with a smile and a raised chin. Charles had said she had been raised by him since she was a child, and Erik wouldn't expect less from her if that was the case. They both seemed to hold a power in their stance that was hard not to admire, even if her presence was still unsettling.

As the celebration went on, Erik saw with curiosity as the music stopped playing and a few of the musicians asked for the Westchesterians present there to show them their own songs. A few of Charles' people approached the instruments, taking them and looking at each other as if they were surprised to be there, to be able to play, their eyes glancing at the Kings and Queens present as if afraid of doing something wrong. It was then that Jean stepped forward, a smile on her lips and so much confidence in her stance that made Erik raise his eyebrows. When she started to sing even before the instruments were being played, he saw Charles and Raven smile with the corner of his eyes.

> _There was snow in the hills, white blankets on the horizon line_
> 
> _There was me longing for you as everything was grey, solitude staining this heart of mine_
> 
> _And even in the middle of winter, as the Northern Winds blew mercilessly, my love_
> 
> _I knew I would have peace when I saw your face, peace would come from your hands only, my love_

The musicians started playing after the first few words, the chords matching the way the woman tapped her foot on the ground as she sang, her smile only widening as she looked at Charles and Raven there, as they started mumbling the song back at her with a spark in their eyes now.

The song sounded like nothing Erik had heard before, the way the Westchesterians used the instruments seemed different and it gave the feeling that Erik was listening to something entirely new. The beating of the drums were harder, more intense than the songs in Genosha, mixed with violins and other string instruments, and the only way Erik could describe it was earthy and mystical, as if the words Jean was chanting and the chords being played had power behind them.

Together with the instruments, some other Westchesterians started to join in to sing at the second part of her words, their voices nervous at first but getting more confident as the Genoshans and the few other refugees from Hel and Muir seemed interested in the song. Soon, Scott had joined Jean, standing in front of her as they started a dance, clapping their hands and stomping their feet on the ground in unison to the beating of the melody, moving together as Scott's voice now filled the room.

> _There was the sound of winds and snow, the birds retreated to the lands far away_
> 
> _And my dear, the biggest tragedy as the cold froze my hands was not being able to see your face_
> 
> _And even in the middle of winter, as the Northern Winds blew mercilessly, my love_
> 
> _I knew my heart would only stop aching when I was able to touch you, to have you in my embrace, my love_

The chorus of voices seemed to sing what seemed to be the chorus of the song, the part that always repeated between verses, and soon Darwin and Alex had joined Jean and Scott as they danced, stomping the ground before joining hands and moving through the space that people left free for them to do it. Erik watched it all with a deep curiosity at the different rhythm and the lyrics the people seemed to know by heart, as well as the dancing. By his side, Charles seemed to be overjoyed, a renewed happiness all over his face as he watched it all.

> _There was the cold, and there was the cold of not being with you_
> 
> _There was the fear, and there was the wanting you_
> 
> _And even in the middle of winter, as the Northern Winds blew mercilessly, my love_
> 
> _I knew that the cold and dark wouldn't kill me as quickly as the feeling of being lonely, my love_

"It's a folk song." Charles said, hand patting his own leg to the rhythm of the claps as if he wanted to clap along. "People sang it every winter in Westchester. I think it was a real story…"

"Very cheerful rhythm for the lyrics, I must say." Charles chuckled at that by his side, eyes still watching as the people danced. Erik admired him for a while.

"Westchester's finest. We used to turn sad tales into something we could dance to." there was a bit of a gloom in his eyes as he said it, and Erik held back the urge of holding Charles' hand at that moment. "I believe that once Westchester is back on its feet again, this whole situation will become a song. It's how we remember the pain but turn it into something good, a celebration."

> _And only the fools and the spirits ever dared to face the Northern Winds at their worst_
> 
> _And it's clear I'm either a fool or a spirit for daring to take that course_
> 
> _Because in the middle of winter, as the Northern Winds blew mercilessly, my love_
> 
> _I left my house and the comfort of a warm flame to face the cold and see you closely, my love_

"It's interesting." Erik said honestly, seeing Charles' face fall a little bit as his eyes went down to look at his own lap, the pain of a home he would never see again taking away some of the joy from his face. 

By their side, Raven got up from her seat, making both of them look at her as she offered a hand to Charles to take, as if calling him for a dance. 

"Come on, for old times." she asked, smiling down at him with the innocence of a sibling wanting to be with her brother. "I know you still know the dances."

> _May the gods of my family bless my path, may they take pity on me_
> 
> _Because I'm outside and I'm at the mercy of the Northern Wind_
> 
> _But not even in the middle of winter, not even as the Northern Winds blow mercilessly, my love_
> 
> _Can stop me from looking for you and finding the warmth of seeing you finally, my love_

Charles stopped for a moment, staring at her before his eyes went to Erik, asking for permission silently, and Erik only smiled at him and nodded. A small smile appeared on Charles' lips at that, thankful, right before he took Raven's hand and they started running towards the middle of the people, the Westchesterians screaming in joy as the siblings joined them. The gloom left Charles' eyes almost immediately.

> _When we meet, hold me and don't ever let go_
> 
> _When we meet, take me in your arms and hold on_
> 
> _And when it's the middle of winter, when the Northern Winds blow mercilessly, my love_
> 
> _We'll freeze together and let our bodies rest peacefully, my love!_

Erik watched with interest as Charles and Raven danced together, their smiles never leaving their faces as they did it, dancing through the songs that played. There was no place for sadness in Charles' eyes now, and they seemed to shine with each step he took, the smile on his face seemingly brightening the whole room like no lantern there could. When Irene touched his arm once more that night, Erik was embarrassed to say he almost jumped.

"It's time for you to prove he's worthy of your trust, Lehnsherr." her voice said, and he knew those words weren't without meaning. "He's unsure still, afraid, although he'll never admit it. Just like you are. It's time you both learn to trust each other, and you know exactly how that should be done."

Somehow, Erik _did_ know. His eyes went back to Charles, eyes going down to his neck where the tunic hid the obsidian colored collar. Erik could feel it at the back of his mind still, too used to the feeling of it against Charles' skin to ever forget, to not feel it over all the metal around that surrounded him on the Grand Patteo,

At some point during the night, Westchesterians and Genoshas matched their rhythms to make something new, making both people excited at the new creation they were listening to, and soon they mixed to dance, matching Westchester's and Genosha's dances as well. When Charles turned to Erik, bright eyes shining with the multicolored flames that lit the Grand Patteo, and raised his hand for Erik to go to him, Erik didn't think before accepting the offer and getting up from his throne.

It was awkward at first as they tried to find the new rhythm and learn each other's dances, but soon they were moving together as if they had done this all their lives. Charles had a bright smile on his lips as he looked at Erik, and Erik knew he was smiling back as he danced. Everyone around them seemed to scream in joy as the two Kings danced and, for a moment, both of them seemed to be able to forget who they were and why they were together there in the first place.

Erik didn't remember the last time he danced or even wanted to do it, but, as the night passed, he found himself hoping the song would never end.

It was morning when they arrived at Erik's quarters, both smiling drunkenly from all the Wheat Beer they had during the celebration. Somewhere away from the castle, Erik could still hear the muffled sound of music and people's voices entering through the open window. He knew the celebration would go on for hours still, up until late morning, and the capital would be silent in the afternoon as everyone rested. Erik always liked the lazy afternoon after the festival.

Charles was the first one to start shedding his clothes once the door to Erik’s chambers was closed, seemingly ready to go to bed right then and there, and Erik's eyes caught on the pale expanse of Charles' back, the freckles that covered his skin catching his eyes. Erik longed to touch it, to kiss that skin and mark it himself, each day the want he felt for Charles growing and growing, but there was no word from Charles, no consent.

Erik moved his eyes away when he saw Charles undoing his trousers, pulling his tunic over his head and getting ready to get himself into bed as well. His focus was lost, however, when he noticed Charles was fully naked except for the black collar around his throat and the wristbands, getting himself under the soft covers and humming in approval at the feeling. _That_ was something new.

He stared at the man laying on his bed, his eyes studying his form covered by the bedsheets, knowing well that he was naked under the warm fabric. It was only a small barrier between Erik and Charles — if he didn't consider the pieces of clothing still on his own body —, just one sheet between his hands and the soft expanse of Charles' skin. It felt like torture to know he wasn't able to touch.

"Charles," Erik managed to say with a leveled voice, seeing Charles open one tired blue eye at him from where he was laying, "why are you naked?"

"I used to sleep naked." Charles said matter-of-factly, voice slurred as he closed his eyes again, dark brown hair flopping over his face and making him look like a painting. Beautiful and timeless and _drunk._ "I never liked the fabric against my skin while sleeping."

"I can get you more comfortable clothes…"

"No." Charles quickly said, shaking his head on the pillow. "I like it like this. Come to bed, will you?"

"You're naked."

Charles opened his eyes again with that, moving on the bed to prop his torso up on his arms, eyes looking Erik up and down for a moment. Like that, the sheets fell slightly from his torso, leaving part of his stomach and his chest uncovered for Erik to see. His mind graced him with images of what it would look like marked by him.

"And you're not. Are we done pointing out the obvious? I'd really like to sleep now."

"Someone got daring with the alcohol." Charles seemed to sober up a bit with those words, eyes widening with clear fear that he had displeased Erik, and soon Erik was talking again. "I rather like it."

"It'll stop when I'm sober again." Charles' voice was sheepish, making Erik smile a bit and go back to taking off his clothes to get ready for bed.

Charles stayed silent, still naked on the bed as Erik moved around, putting his clothes away to retrieve his sleeping clothes. He could feel Charles' eyes stare at his body when he was fully naked, his gaze burning against Erik's skin. Erik just hoped he would be able to ignore Charles' body when he laid down on the bed so he wouldn't make a fool of himself — and so he would be able to sleep without desire stopping him —, when Charles' voice filled the room again.

"Come to bed like that." his voice was weak, slightly uncertain, and Erik turned his head to look back at Charles. He looked as uncertain as he sounded. "No clothes."

"Charles-"

 _"Please."_ he interrupted, swallowing hard before he sat properly on the bed, the sheets now only covering his lower body, the curve of his arse slightly visible for Erik to see as he tried to look away. "I know it doesn't look like it, but I want it."

"You're drunk."

"Not drunk enough to think this isn't my own decision."

Erik stared at Charles a moment more, waiting for the other man to change his mind as a thrill ran through his body at the idea of touching Charles. He noticed as Charles clenched his jaw but didn't move, letting Erik look at him, until a small humorous huff left his lips, Erik's eyes falling over Charles' face again.

"It's weird to be doing this without my telepathy." he confessed in a small voice, fingers playing with the hem of the bedsheets. "It's weird not to know what you're thinking right now, if I please you or not."

Erik's face softened, making a decision then and there after Charles' words, and he fully turned to the other man to walk back to the bed, Charles' eyes quickly falling to his body with clear interest. Erik sat on the mattress, next to Charles, taking his face in one hand and placing a kiss to Charles' lips. It was quick and not enough for both of them, making Charles' brow furrow at it, and soon both of Erik's hands were falling to Charles' neck, fingers touching the dark metal and feeling the magic coursing through it, the same one that kept Charles' telepathy blocked.

But, like any other metal, it bent to Erik's will when he commanded it to, the perfect circle breaking and bending as it left Charles' neck. The man gasped immediately, his eyes widening as he lost his balance for a fraction of a second, and Erik felt something brushing against his mind that quickly retreated just as soon as it showed itself.

"What-"

"I can't let you without it forever." Erik started, floating the collar away from them and placing it on the nightstand, the metal making a soft _thud_ against the wood as it settled. "I can't let anyone know I allowed this to happen because it could mean a riot. But it's just us here, and I trust you."

Charles seemed to be out of breath for a moment, cerulean eyes staring into Erik's grey ones with questions and more questions that seemed to float in the air around them. Once in a while, a tendril of Charles' power touched Erik's mind, and although that power that the man in Erik's bed held was still terrifying, Erik couldn't help but find some comfort in it. It felt beautiful, just like Charles.

The telepath was the first one to move, wrapping his arms around Erik's shoulders and kissing Erik with force, both of them grunting with it, and Erik didn't lose his chance to wrap his arms around Charles' torso, feeling the soft skin against his own and laying Charles down carefully as they kept the kiss going. The whole time, Charles' mind seemed to be projecting to him the man's sensations, making Erik shiver with the bundle of _joy/relief/lust/want_ that was being sent to him — by accident or not, he couldn't know.

Erik parted the kiss after a few moments, pulling the sheets that still covered Charles' lower body away and staring at the man on his bed in all his naked glory. Erik felt like he could stay there, admiring Charles body for ages: his strong form, some muscles showing through the softness of his skin, his shoulders speckled with freckles, his lovely, _lovely_ thighs, and his cock laying half hard against his stomach, slowly filling and pulling the foreskin back — a curious thing, if Erik was honest, since the native Genoshans were all cut like Erik was.

He roamed his hands through Charles' skin, starting on his things and going up to his torso until they held Charles' face, leaning down to place a kiss to those red lips again, enjoying every little moment and touch, letting his tongue taste those lips — they tasted like Wheat Beer, the sweets Charles had been eating through the celebrations, and _Charles_ —, memorizing him like Charles could disappear or change his mind at any moment.

 _«I'm not changing my mind.»_ Charles' voice said, or what sounded like it in Erik's mind, making the King look down at him with surprise and some amazement. Charles smiled up at him, proud and lascivious. _«This is me saying you can touch me, Erik.»_

And so Erik did, placing another kiss to Charles' lips and pressing their bodies together, the slight friction against his hardening cock making him gasp slightly, feeling Charles do the same, hips moving up to thrust against Erik's.

Charles' body seemed to burn against Erik's, a flush starting to color from his face to his collarbones, making the freckles on his skin even more prominent. Erik took his time kissing his shoulders, biting against those freckles and hearing the soft noises coming out from Charles' mouth, noises that Erik knew he was mirroring with each thrust from Charles' hips against his, with each time Charles’ lips found their way to his skin and kissed him.

He reached out with his power through the room, feeling everything metal around him as he searched for the jar of oil he knew was there somewhere, his body shuddering with the idea that he'd be able to have Charles then and there, but his efforts stopped when Charles gasped, his eyes widening and looking up at Erik with a surprised look. For a moment, Erik thought Charles had changed his mind, that something had happened for him to deny his touches, and Erik was already opening his mouth to beg not to stop when Charles spoke first.

"I don't want to stop, it's just… Your gift." Charles' voice was slightly breathless, his chest heaving. "I felt when you reached out for the metal. It's… It's incredible, Erik."

"Maybe another time I can show you more..." Erik pressed another kiss to Charles' lips rolling his hips against Charles' and watching the man gasp quietly at it. "But right now I need you. Inside of me if possible."

Charles took a shuddering breath at those words, nodding eagerly at them and making Erik smile. He looked somehow surprised at the offer, probably thinking Erik would have liked to be the one to take Charles and not otherwise.

"Very much possible." he said breathlessly, a chuckle coming out of Erik's lips at that.

Erik finally found the jar after a few moments of looking, floating the metal piece towards them as he started to move away from Charles, stealing another kiss before straddling the other man's hips, his knees on each side of Charles' body. Charles only stared at Erik the whole time as Erik made the metal jar warm up, consequently warming up the oil inside, and pouring some over his hand before his fingers went behind himself.

He would normally take his time in any other circumstance, especially to put on a show if he felt like it, but, this time, there was an urgency in Erik's mind to get there quicker, desperate to finally feel Charles inside of him instead of his own fingers, so he was quick as he opened himself up, shivering with the feeling of Charles' hands on his skin as the telepath touched him with his pupils already blown wide.

 _«My gods, you are gorgeous...»_ Charles sent to Erik's mind, the way the voice inside his head sounded adoring making Erik shiver again.

He watched with pleasure as he took his fingers from himself when he thought it was enough preparation and put some more oil on his hand before grabbing Charles' cock to stroke it. The way Charles' back arched and he threw his head back against the pillow making it almost impossible for Erik to resist lowering himself to kiss and bite at the pale skin there, Charles' hands grabbing Erik's arse and squeezing tightly as Erik kept his hand going on Charles' prick.

The moment didn't last long, not as both of them seemed to be on the brink of an orgasm already, and Erik only straightened himself again as he guided Charles' cock to his entrance, sinking himself onto it slowly, rolling his hips as both of them stopped breathing for a moment. Erik whimpered for a second when he finally had his arse pressed flush against Charles, feeling himself stretched around Charles' cock, and he wasn't ready for when the telepath sent what Erik felt like around him. It was almost overwhelming to feel both ends, and Erik placed his hands flat against Charles' chest to keep himself from falling over.

 _«I need a moment.»_ Charles sent, mental voice sounding as breathless as he was. _«Fuck, Erik...»_

"That's the point." Erik grinned, seeing a breathless chuckle leave Charles' mouth.

_«Come here, I want to kiss you.»_

It wasn't a command, there was no power behind his words, but Erik went willingly, small sounds leaving their mouths as Erik moved and their lips met. The kiss was chaste at first, a touch of lips that seemed hesitant, until it deepened. Erik's arms were resting on the mattress, one on each side of Charles' head, and he felt as Charles' arms wrapped around his middle, his legs moving to place his feet flat on the mattress before Charles gave his first thrust. The kiss was broken there, both of them moaning with the slide of Charles' cock in and out of Erik, and Erik saw Charles smile under him, hands holding Erik a little more tighter after the reaction.

"Do you want to know what it feels to have sex with a telepath, my liege?" Charles asked, licking his lips as a spark crossed his eyes.

Despite everything, Erik nodded, the grin on Charles' lips widening. Erik felt as Charles' power settled in his mind, although he had a hint that he only felt it happened because Charles allowed him to — terrifying power, and yet fascinating —, and soon he could feel Charles' pleasure parallel to his own. The feedback he received from it was almost blinding and, as Charles' started thrusting up and set a pace, all Erik was able to do was rest his head against Charles' shoulder and push back against his thrusts, goosebumps breaking on his flesh as the waves of pleasure hit him.

Charles was slow at first, lips pressed close to Erik's ear as he moved, but Erik was able to feel as the man's mind shifted with an idea and didn't complain when Charles changed the positions, making Erik lay on the mattress as he raised his body to kneel between Erik's legs. As Erik looked up at him, Charles looked back, lust filling his eyes when he started moving a bit faster and harder, changing the angle of his hips a few times until his cock brushed against Erik's prostate. The smile on his lips was nothing but victorious when Erik moaned louder, focusing his thrusts on that spot over and over again until Erik was nothing but a mess of moans and disconnected words.

_«Touch yourself, darling.»_

There was a command in those words, not like Erik could complain when he was very aware of his cock painfully hard against his stomach and in need of touch, but his hands moved almost mindlessly to hold himself and start stroking in the rhythm of Charles' thrusts.

He fought to keep his eyes open, looking up at Charles as he lowered his body again, bringing one of Erik's legs up and bending it against his chest to keep the angle right. Charles placed a kiss to Erik's lips, quick, showing approval with it and with the way his mind seemed to scream it at Erik, but it was broken again by a quiet moan, his forehead resting against Erik's as they both panted for air, the room filled with the sounds of their heavy breathing and the slap of skin against skin. It didn't take long for Erik to feel his orgasm building up, getting closer and closer as Charles felt it as well and gripped Erik's thigh in a bruising grip as his hips now moved in a faster and desperate pace.

 _«Go ahead, Erik.»_ Charles' sounded just as desperate as he looked, his words surrounded by a cloud of pleasure that made Erik's body shudder. _«Cum for me.»_

Erik wasn't able to disobey that, his hand stroking himself faster as his orgasm hit him like a stone to the face. He felt as he clenched harshly around Charles, the telepath grunting with the feeling, and it only took a few more thrusts for Charles to go over the edge as well, Erik's body reacting to Charles' orgasm as if it was his own. For a while, they just held each other, as if breaking contact wasn't an option — as if they had to keep touching everywhere to survive now.

In the back of his mind, almost unnoticeable, Erik could feel the pulsing of Ancient Magic against his arm, the way his mind was tangled with Charles making him feel it from his end as well.

They breathed in unison, eyes locked on each other's for a few moments, a tired smile appearing on Charles' lips above him as his body relaxed on top of Erik's. He seemed like he was about to sleep any second now, passed out from exhaustion.

He pulled out carefully, hearing Erik hiss slightly, oversensitive now, and plopped himself by Erik's side on the bed as his chest rose and fell with his heavy breathing. As much as Erik felt just as tired, he decided that sleeping with come all over himself wasn't the most comfortable of situations, and made to get up the bed to find a wet cloth to clean them both with.

When he looked back to the bed, his eyes stayed on Charles' form for a moment. He was almost asleep if the tired haze filling the room was any indication, his arms resting lazily over his head on the pillows, hair falling over his face, some strands glued to his skin thanks to the sweat. He looked like a work of art, and Erik wondered how long he could stay staring at the other man like that, until Charles' voice sounded in his head, weak and tired.

_«That's lovely of you, my King, but I think you'd like to clean yourself already. Dried cum is not very fun...»_

Erik smiled at that, starting to clean himself as Charles opened his eyes again to watch him do it, a pleased feeling filling the room now as Erik rubbed the wet cloth against his arse.

"Enjoying the show?" Erik mumbled, biting his lip as he raised his leg awkwardly in order to have a better reach. Charles smiled at that, amused.

_«Very much, actually.»_

Erik sat on the mattress after cleaning the drying come from his stomach and chest, starting to clean Charles now and smiling a bit at the slightly pained whine that came from the telepath when Erik rubbed the rough cloth over Charles now oversensitive prick. Charles' gaze never left him as he did so.

He threw the cloth towards a corner of the room once he was finished, not caring where it had landed, and laid on the bed, bringing the warm sheets over his and Charles' bodies. Now that the heat of sex was going down, the room fell cold as the grey clouds of winter covered the sky and snow still fell calmly outside, covering Genosha with a thin blanket of snow.

Charles moved closer, snuggling himself to Erik's body, and Erik was more than happy to hold him back. He smelled of Wheat Beer, pastries, the incense that was being burned earlier during the Winter Festival, of sex, and a smell that Erik had already filed in his mind as Charles' — it shouldn't work, all of these together, but it did. It was comforting, and it made Erik press Charles closer, closing his eyes as he buried his nose against Charles' hair and waved his fingers slightly, the curtains on the window closing and leaving them in the dark so they could sleep even in the early morning. Before they could doze off, however, Charles talked again.

"The collar…"

"What about it?"

"Shouldn't you put it back on me?" there was something somber now in Charles' voice, a melancholy that wasn't there before, and Erik pressed a kiss to his hair, his hand running through his back as if he wanted to soothe Charles.

"When we wake up and leave the room." Erik promised, feeling a relieved sigh leaving Charles' mouth, warm breath against his skin. "For now, you can be you."

"Thank you." a kiss was placed to Erik's chest that made goosebumps rise on his skin, his heart beating a little faster. "Thank you for trusting me… I know of our pact and that I can't hurt you even if I wanted to, which I _don't,_ but it's good… It feels good to have it back, even if only for a while."

There was silence for a few seconds, in which Erik frowned at himself, his fingers still lazily running against Charles' skin.

"I didn't even remember the pact. I just figured you wouldn't try anything."

Charles looked up then, blue eyes now hidden by the darkness in the room, but Erik could still see the outline of his features. Even so, it was his mind that told Erik he seemed surprised, confused, and suddenly both of these feelings turned into a warmth that made Erik blink a few times with the intensity of it. A kiss was placed on his lips, soft and quiet, and soon Charles was getting comfortable against Erik's body once more.

Charles slept first, his telepathy projecting the soft feeling of his sleep, the pleasant ache in his bones, and it was enough to lull Erik into sleep as well. Even with the collar off, even without the pact between him and Charles, he knew he was safe.

_"No."_ Sebastian Shaw growled, eyes filled with a fire that made Erik narrow his eyes, ready for a fight if necessary. "Of all the ideas you had, Erik, this is the stupidest."

"This could actually work." Raven tried to help from where she was seated, more firm in her words now than she was months ago. Now Erik believed her to be a Queen. "If we get the aid of the telepaths we have, we can end the attack quicker than we would if we only used brute force. I know Charles and Jean Grey are powerful enough to be up to the task."

"You can't seriously trust an uncollared telepath-"

"I lived with one my whole life, Shaw." Raven's voice got firmer, even Shaw backing off a little at the look in her yellow eyes. "In fact, this one's my brother and I'd trust him with my life."

"The first attack when Spring comes won't be expected." Erik took back the attention to him, eyes looking down at the table as he felt the metal of Charles' collared and wristbands in a nearby room, as well as Emma’s. Having Charles in the battle was something they haven't discussed, but it was too good of an opportunity to miss, especially now that he had experienced Charles' powers himself. "If we attack with the telepaths, if we get Charles, Jean _and_ Emma-"

"No-"

"Let me speak, damn you."

"I will _not_ risk losing what's mine because you got infatuated with your telepath, Lehnsherr." Shaw's voice was a growling again, his body leaning forward on his chair, ready to attack. His hand seemed to vibrate, his power getting ready to explode at any second. "They're dangerous-"

"You're just a paranoid bastard!" Raven quickly put it, Shaw's deadly gaze turning to her. "What are you afraid of, King Shaw of Hel? If you fear for your throne, I have bad news for you: it was destroyed when the humans attacked your kingdom, just like mine and Charles' was. You are the King of homeless people taking shelter here in Genosha, you are _nothing_ without your lands for your people to live on, and you'll _stay_ as nothing if we don't get them back. So I'd wager that telepathy is the least of your problems here."

Shaw still seemed mad, the fire in his eyes not dying down as Raven stared at him with an angry look, but it was noticeable the moment he realized her words were right. Erik smiled a little, eyes falling to Raven with some kind of fondness in them. Deep in his mind, he knew Charles would be proud of her if he could've seen her that day.

"The telepathy attack will work." Irene's voice was finally heard, golden mask as always hiding her face from everyone in the room. "In fact, might give us even more advantage. It was a path I didn't think would be taken, but somethings have changed…"

Her mask-covered face turned to Erik, a silent judgement of sorts, as if she knew of Erik and Charles' affections towards each other. He kept a straight face, not revealing much, but he could see the way Raven's eyes fell on him as well, resignation in them as if she also knew about it.

"If we do this right, a small group could go with the telepaths to the border between Westchester and the human lands and no army would be needed." Irene continued, face now turned to nowhere in particular, talking with everyone at the table. "It's a small village, after all. Three telepaths with the intent to attack are more dangerous than any army in this case."

"Then we'll keep the army ready, tell them to follow our path with a few days of distance." Erik sighed, the attention back to him as he talked. "We'll take Charles, Jean and Emma with us and they'll attack the human village."

"With one condition," all eyes went to Shaw at that. He seemed resigned, like he knew nothing he could say would change that plan, but he wasn't pleased with it either. "You'll give me your helm."


	5. SPRING

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is hands down the longest chapter so far because it got out of hand abajsjjd Next one will be considerably shorter considering it's the epilogue chapter but it's not completed yet so I have no idea how long this fic will be once the last chapter is posted 👀 I'm just glad I was able to edit it even if college is already ending me, cause I was really excited to post this one hehe >:) It has some explanation for the small excerpts at the beginning of the chapter + me being extra again. You thought the song was over the top? Wait until you see this one lmao  
> I'd like also to show you guys [this amazing art](https://twitter.com/jameseyebag/status/1358029648794329089?s=19) made by the talented @jameseyebag on twitter, who just keeps making me scream whenever I wake up to some of their art in my mentions. The swordfight scene remains one of my favorites and I still can't believe they drew that 😍😍  
> Hope you guys enjoy this chapter and I'm really sorry for the ending here (except I'm not hehe) ❤️

**The hand that opens the cage, the flap of wings, the fear of losing. The song is back to the hills;**

In the last week of Winter, when the winds started to warm up slowly and the grey clouds started to leave Genosha's sky, they left Genosha to start the attack.

It was a small group of eight, the three telepaths — Charles, Emma and Jean — together with Erik, Raven, Irene and Shaw, as well as Scott Summers, a boy from Westchester. Charles told Erik before that Scott had grown in the castle, born when Charles was already a teenager, son to Westchester's late General, together with his brother Alex.

"I still remember the day his mutation manifested itself," Charles had said once, a smile on his lips as he remembered the memory, "he had to wear a blindfold for a few days before I managed to find someone who could help him and give him the glasses he wears now."

The Summers boy had insisted on going with them, desperate to accompany their journey as he almost begged Erik for the permission to go while he stood in front of Erik's throne one day. The whole time, Charles' presence seemed to scream to accept the boy's wishes.

“I’m a soldier,” he had argued, eyes covered by the red glasses that kept him from killing anyone with just a look. “I can be of use in case there is trouble on our way to Westchester. Besides, Charles is my King. I'd like to have the chance to protect him.”

Erik had allowed the boy to accompany them when Charles told Erik that Scott was, in fact, a good soldier; any protection was better than none. The whole trip, Scott and Jean had stuck together, and Erik wasn't naive enough to not realize quickly they were lovers and Summers had come to protect Jean more than Charles. Late at night, as they stopped to rest, Erik would watch with an amused gaze as he invaded Jean's tent when everyone was supposedly asleep and not paying attention.

"They were inseparable," Charles had said one night when he caught Erik staring, hands running against Erik's shoulders in a soft touch — Charles' touches had become more and more common after the start of Winter, after the Festival, and Erik didn't have it in himself to complain. "I took Jean in when they were both kids and were just figuring out their powers. He was the only one who knew what Jean could do other than me and Raven, and I don't think that without him she would've grown so much… I was there as a fellow telepath, and maybe sometimes a father figure, but he was there as her friend."

"He knew Jean was a telepath, but never told anyone?" Erik asked, turning around to look at Charles' face framed by the dark night around them. The moonlight shining against his skin made Erik almost swoon. 

"He loved her, even then. As a friend, before it bloomed into something new." Charles shrugged, resting his chin on Erik's shoulder and looking up at him — Erik felt like he could drown in those cerulean eyes. "He'd do anything to keep her safe, telepath or not. Love makes you do those things..."

It took a week for them to reach Westchester, when Spring was already over them, and Erik had marveled at the sight of the hills that hid Westchester's capital on the horizon, white snow still melting at the top of them against the grass that grew a bright green. Charles had stopped his horse when the hills were visible, eyes gazing at them with longing before he looked at his sister. There were somber looks in both their eyes as they knew they were back home, a sigh leaving both of them. Their bodies suddenly looked more tense.

As they went on, Erik rode his horse next to Charles', looking at the once King with a worried look at the way everything on him seemed stiff now, eyes bearing a melancholy that broke Erik's heart even if he'd deny it. Charles' eyes rose to meet Erik's, the somber look still staining the blue of his irises.

"Welcome to Westchester, King of Genosha." Charles said with a weak voice, a mocking smile on his lips. "I apologise for the mess."

Without as much as a word, Erik took Charles' hand with his, thumb rubbing circles against the skin of the back of his hand. Something in Charles' face softened with the touch, but not much, not enough. Erik guessed that nothing he could do would take that look from the telepath's eyes as they got closer and closer to Charles' destroyed home.

Charles had shown a place where the horses could hide and eat near the hills once they arrived, the sun slowly setting and painting everything a bright golden orange as they made their way to the secret passage inside the hills — a tunnel hidden by a curtain of green vines around a very hard to get place. As they entered the tunnel, Charles already with a torch in hand, Erik took a last look towards the orange sky, admiring it. He had seen paintings before of Westchester's sundowns and sunrises, but nothing compared to the real thing.

His eyes watched curiously as seconds later a bird with black and blue feathers that he had never seen before in his life landed on a nearby tree, jumping on the branch for a moment before opening its beak and singing a melody, so soft and beautiful that Erik widened his eyes slightly. A Songbird.

Behind himself, someone whistled the melody back, the bird looking curiously at the person before singing again, different notes now as the bird guided the melody. Erik looked behind himself, seeing Charles standing there with his torch and a strange look in his eyes. It was somber, but strangely happy at the same time, so Erik only stared as Charles whistled again, this time creating a new melody that made the bird flap its wings for a moment, staring at Charles curiously before repeating Charles’ melody back at him, as if appreciating the new notes it had been given.

"Spring has come." Charles said quietly, taking a deep breath before his eyes moved from the bird to Erik. On the branch, the Songbird sang Charles’ words and the tone of his voice in the form of a melody as if the sound of it pleased the bird — Erik vaguely remembered Charles telling him at the beginning of Winter how Westchester made their sad tales into a song, and promptly wondered if that was another reason why the Songbird was the symbol of that kingdom. "The birds are coming back to Westchester. At least that stays the same."

“There are no birds where we’re going.” Raven’s voice sounded from inside the tunnel, and Erik could vaguely see her form in the dark, illuminated by the torch she was holding. The Songbird flew away, singing its new song as it went. “So I’d appreciate it if we could get a move on. These tunnels aren’t as fun now as they were when I was a kid.”

They walked for hours through the tunnels, the darkness being broken only by Charles' and Raven's torches and the ones they lighted along the way to light the path. The army would most likely be going through those tunnels in a few days when they finally headed north, and it would help having light to guide them.

The flames weren't normal ones, they shone white as they flickered on the torches, somehow not giving as much warmth as a normal flame would. Erik had watched with interest when Charles and Raven raised their torches as they entered the tunnels, both of them saying words in unison in a language Erik didn't understand — a spell —, before the normal yellow turned white.

"These flames last longer. They'll still be here when the army arrives." Charles had said briefly. Erik hadn't dared to question him.

Raven and Charles walked in front, lighting the way and guiding them through the tunnels, and Erik could notice Charles looking for something in the walls the whole time. There was nothing that told Erik that they were on the right path, at least nothing  _ he _ could see, and yet many times he was able to see Charles' lips tug up slightly, as if he had found something on the rock wall, guiding them with more confidence than before. Erik hoped that it meant they were close to the secret chambers Charles promised them, his body aching for rest and his nose starting to get irritated with the smell of the tunnels — wet soil, dust and no fresh air making him and the others scratch their noses time and time again.

In a wall with nothing special in it just like the others, Charles stopped and touched the rocks, eyes examining it as everyone observed with some curiosity. His smile appeared again, victorious, and he turned his eyes to the group. Raven curiously seemed just as confused as the others.

"We're here." 

"I don't feel anything here." Erik quickly pointed out, his brow furrowing. He imagined there would be something metal in the chambers, and yet all he could feel was the iron from the soil. "Are you sure?"

Charles didn't answer, only turning his eyes to the rock wall again and pressing his hand more firmly to it.

_ "Abra." _

The wall reacted to Charles' voice, and Erik could feel the small pulse of Ancient Magic behind it, the rocks moving with muffled sounds of stone against the ground until it opened like a door, revealing a lit up room that seemed to belong inside of a castle, blue, black and gold furniture all over the place — Westchester's colors. 

"There's magic surrounding the place. No one can feel the chambers or whoever's in it, so it's truly safe." Charles quickly explained, putting his torch on an empty holder by the entrance of the room. "Once you're in you'll feel the metal."

It was said and done. Erik took the first step inside the hidden room, feeling a shiver run through his spine as the sudden feeling of metal  _ everywhere _ hit him, almost overwhelming his senses for a moment. Inside, and without the magic blocking his senses, he could feel just how big the place was, going deep inside the hill, safely hidden underground. There was a staircase going down to the next level of the secret chambers at the corner of the room, and Erik could feel those weren’t the only stairs in that place, trying to figure out just how many levels down those secret chambers went. For what he could notice in his quick scan of the place, there were at least seven more rooms like this one buried inside the hill.

Erik frowned for a moment, however, at how clean everything was — no dust to be seen, everything looking incredibly new — and for the fact that the torches inside were already lit, the room illuminated by the fire even before they opened the passage. Before Erik could say anything about it, Shaw voiced the same thoughts, eyes staring at everything as the helm Erik had given him covered his head. None of the telepaths were able to use their gifts yet, the collars were still around their throats, but Shaw seemed wary even so.

"The founders of Westchester built this place long ago, after the Old Wars when the Four Mutant Kingdoms were finally established. Westchester was the last one to rise and our borders with the human lands were not fully marked, so the King back then made this place as a safe space in case another war broke out." Charles seemed distracted as he talked about it, checking stuff around the big room, saying the words as if he had rehearsed it. "It was built when Ancient Magic was more used through the land by both humans and the first mutants, so it's covered with spells to protect and keep it proper in case someone needs to come in. It never gets dirty, and it never will unless I break the spell, since I'm the only one who knows how to."

"Why am I only hearing about all of this now?"

Charles turned then, looking at Raven, who stared at him with a curious look in her eyes. Charles gave her a sheepish smile.

"I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't." he said, sighing and crossing his arms in front of his chest as he looked around again. "Father showed me this place when I was a child, before he was killed, and taught me how to find it and how to use it. The only one who's supposed to know about it is the first in line of succession and the King or Queen who rules Westchester. I suppose I can teach you now, once it's is over…"

They explored the room for a while, examining their surroundings, but soon all of them found a comfortable spot to sleep. Raven guided Irene to a comfortable couch where she could lay down, staying close as they talked in whispers to each other. Scott and Jean did the same, both of them falling asleep on their corner of the room, and Shaw stayed there with Emma by his side, helm on his head as he closed his eyes to rest. Before Erik could do the same and rest his eyes, Charles took his hand and pulled him away from the small comfortable chair he had found, dragging him to the staircase and stepping down deeper into the place. 

The next room under the one they had entered through had similar decorations, but Charles didn't stop there, going down two more levels before stopping. Erik raised his eyebrows when he noticed the room they were in now had a four poster bed neatly made at the center, a fireplace burning nicely against one of the walls and making the room feel cozy and warm as the satisfying noise of wood burning up filled the place. Erik opened his mouth to ask why Charles had brought him there, but the kiss he received from the telepath was enough to give him his answers.

The moment was quick, both of them tired from the travel and trying their best to be quiet to not alert anyone in the upper level, but Erik appreciated the chance of being on a bed again with Charles as he sat there on the mattress and kept Charles' body as close as possible, face pressed against Charles' chest, while Charles moved on his cock. Erik was even more thankful for the oil they had found there, which allowed  _ that _ to happen.

"This place has everything one would need," Charles had said with a cheeky grin as he handed the oil vial to Erik.

Erik came with a grunt, buried deep inside Charles, biting Charles' chest lightly and hearing the telepath whine as he kept moving, one hand snaking its way between them to stroke himself to completion. Erik only watched as Charles suppressed a louder moan as he came, blue eyes clouded by his orgasm as they looked at each other again. The way he looked after sex — and in general, if Erik was being completely honest — would never stop amazing Erik. 

After Charles quickly cleaned them both with a cloth that was laying around, they laid down on the bed, Charles' fingers running through Erik's hair soothingly as they just stared at each other. It was a peaceful moment, something to calm their nerves, considering what would come next.

"Are you ready for tomorrow morning?" Erik asked quietly, seeing Charles sigh.

"I haven't used my telepathy for offense in a while." he said, jaw clenching for a moment as he kept running his fingers through Erik's hair. "In fact, I barely have used it like that in my life. I only remember two or three times where I had to hurt someone's mind, and all of them were to keep myself or the people around me safe."

"This is to keep your people safe." Charles sighed again at that, nodding, even if he still had a wary look to him. "You  _ can't _ hesitate here, Charles."

"Oh, I won't." Charles' eyes moved to look at Erik's again. There was a dark determination in his ocean eyes that made Erik remember just who Charles was — dangerous, the man in his arms. "They destroyed my home and killed my people, whatever mercy left in me for them was gone the moment the first mutant died here. I just don't know if killing all of them like you and the others planned will work. The Sentinels will still be there."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"I don't know. I really don't." Charles pressed his lips into a tight line, sitting on the bed and stretching his body for a moment, his back turned to Erik as he did so. Erik's eyes followed the movement of the muscles under the skin and the freckles that adorned the pale expanse of his shoulders and back. "I'll follow the plan, but there's something bothering me about it."

Charles got up from the bed, completely unashamed of his nakedness like always, pale skin now marked by Erik's fingertips and mouth — Erik couldn't help the grin as he saw the amount of them darkening on Charles' thighs, knowing the telepath was very amused at the way Erik seemed to like them —, but his eyes moved up to Charles' neck, the collar still around it. Erik's fingers moved quickly, guilty for not taking the collar beforehand, and soon the metal was leaving Charles' throat and floating towards the mattress to settle there.

The telepath shuddered immediately as his power was allowed to be used again, the now familiar feeling of Charles' mind against his coming and going in a second as Charles grounded himself, eyes turning to look at Erik for a second and giving him a slight nod.

_ «Thank you, darling.» _

"I should've done it sooner. I'm sorry."

Charles' eyes softened at his words, a smile gracing his lips before he turned again, walking towards the bookshelves placed on a near wall. Erik sighed, relaxing his body and just watching Charles look at the book titles, walking around the big room as if there was no worries in the world, and Erik wished they were in Genosha, in Erik's quarters and without the coming war in front of them, where he could just watch Charles for hours and hold him. Charles' bottom surely was a sight to be seen.

Next to the bookshelves, Erik heard a huffed out chuckle coming from the telepath.

_ «Very flattering.» _ Charles' voice in Erik's mind was distant, his thoughts somewhere else as his gaze stayed on the books. _ «But I'm afraid that if it wasn't for the war, I would not have been in Genosha any time soon. And you surely wouldn't have seen my  _ lovely _ bottom.» _

"And you planned on going?" Charles hummed in affirmation from where he was. 

_ «We are neighboring kingdoms, I wanted to make sure there would be peace between us once I finished fixing what Kurt Marko left broken in his years as regent.» _ there was a cold calm to Charles' mental voice now, his hands picking a book from the shelf to look at its cover.  _ «I hadn't found a good way to convince you that you could trust me before the war began, a way to show you that my telepathy wasn't a threat as long as you didn't threaten me first. I didn't have the chance to even figure it out, since my kingdom fell.» _

"I trust you now."

Charles turned his head then, blue eyes looking Erik over before he shrugged, another smile appearing on his lips then.

"I guess. But it surely wasn't in my plans to become a pet when I thought about making a peace treaty between Westchester and Genosha."

Erik clenched his jaw at Charles' words —  _ a pet; _ Erik guessed he was right. Charles wasn't free, not when he would have to wear the collar again soon, not with their pact. Erik's eyes fell to the metal circle, a dark gaze in his eyes as he stared at it as if suddenly it looked wrong. His eyes raised to Charles again, looking at the other man's back as the telepath kept looking at the books on the shelves with interest. He remembered Raven's words when it was still Summer, when they didn't trust each other yet.

_ My brother can't be owned, _ and Erik believed those words then, and still believed them now after staying all those months in Charles' presence. There was something wrong in keeping Charles locked away, but there was a small part of Erik who now dreaded ever losing him.

"Oh!" Charles exclaimed, making Erik focus on the present again, frowning as Charles took a book from the shelf with enthusiasm. "My gods, I didn't think I'd see this book ever again…"

Charles walked with broad steps towards the bed again, sitting down on the mattress and brushing away the collar to get it out of the way as if the object was insignificant and bothered him. Erik looked up at the book curiously as Charles' eyes seemed to shine with joy from being able to hold it in his hands. It was a thin book, red hardcover and nothing really special about it from what Erik could see.

"It's a children's book my father used to read to me when I was little." Charles said quickly, opening the book to go through the pages. He looked excited.  _ "Tales From The Green Hills and Beyond. _ It has children's stories from when Westchester wasn't even Westchester yet. Raven and I used to read this at night when we couldn't sleep- Well,  _ I _ used to read it to  _ her…" _

"You could read it to me then." Erik joked, Charles' eyes going to him as he raised his eyebrows. His eyes seemed to shine with Erik’s words. "I feel like I could use some help sleeping."

"There's one story in particular I used to love… There it is!  _ The Songbird and the Lonely Man. _ I think it was this story that caused Songbirds to be Westchester's symbol." Charles smiled down at the page, looking at Erik again after. "I could read it to you if you'd like."

Erik gestured for Charles to go ahead, seeing a smile on Charles' lips that was hard not to reciprocate. The telepath moved on the bed to get himself under the covers, pulling Erik to lay over his chest and showing the book to him like that. Erik watched with interest the slightly yellowed page with the title of the story in bold cursive letters and the drawing of a Songbird on the paper, similar to the one who greeted them at the entrance of the tunnels, colored with what looked like blue, black and gold watercolors.

"There was once a Songbird whose song blessed the land, singing while the golden sun painted the hills in its light. No bird had a song like theirs, no melody sounded as beautiful, no voice sounded as strong." Charles started, his voice calm as he read the words, fondness reaching Erik's mind as he read the familiar story. Erik hung on to every word, watching the illustrations on the book.  _ "I am the bird who gives song to this land, _ the Songbird used to say proudly,  _ I am the one who makes the other birds sing, and no bird sings with me, for my song is unique. _

"One day, as they flew over the trees, a bird of prey tried to take the Songbird down. They flew away from the bird of prey, looking for a place to stay safe when they saw something on the branch of one of the trees: a metal cage."

Erik couldn't stop himself from smiling for a moment as Charles read the story with practiced ease, as if he was reading to a child. He imagined what it looked like when he read that to Raven when they were children, if that was the tone he used, pointing at the watercolor illustration of the metal cage on a tree branch, the silhouette of a bird in the distance.

For a second, Erik imagined if that was how Charles would read that story for his children if he had them, chest warming up with the idea.

"The Songbird hated cages, they took away their freedom, but it was the only place where they could hide to survive… They entered the cage, the small door closing behind them just as the bird of prey reached them and tried to grab them with its claws. The bird of prey left, leaving the Songbird alone. When they tried to leave the cage, they noticed it was locked and the spaces between the bars were too narrow for them to pass through. It was then that the Songbird realized their mistake. Without noticing, they had managed to survive, but gave away their freedom in exchange by flying into the cage.

"They screamed, their beautiful song turning into a gloomy cry, but no one came to their aid, no bird repeated their lament back to them. When the sun set over the hills and the world turned dark, the Songbird stopped singing and closed their beak.  _ Past this prison, no one can hear my song, _ the Songbird wept,  _ There is no reason to sing anymore.  _ When the morning came, the Songbird didn’t sing. There would be no one to hear them." Charles flipped the page again, a small amused huff leaving his lips as he did so. "Raven would start crying at this point when she was very little. She didn't like the picture of the Songbird in the cage."

"I'll try not to weep as well." Erik said, voice quiet as he realized Charles' sultry voice started working its magic on him, lulling him into a peaceful enough state for him to almost sleep. At his words, Charles chuckled.

"There was once a Lonely Man who liked to walk alone through the hills and hear the song of a Songbird who soared through them when the golden sun was setting on the horizon line. He never sang on his own, he just liked to listen." Charles continued, taking that practiced tone again as he told the story. Erik watched the picture in the book once more, taking in all the details of the figure of a man walking through the hills while looking at the sky. "One day as he walked, he noticed the song was gone, the Songbird nowhere to be seen. The next day, the song was gone still, as well as the day after that. As he walked through the trees one day, he noticed a metal cage on one of the branches, left there by someone, and as he got closer, he saw it held the missing Songbird.

_ "Oh you poor thing, trapped like that, _ said the Lonely Man. He tried to open the cage, his hand going to the small metal opening, but the Songbird didn't let him. Without as much as a chirp, the Songbird beaked his fingers, drawing blood. They were afraid, hungry, and resigned to their prison.  _ I'm trying to help, _ cried out the Lonely Man.

_ "I won't let you hurt me, _ said the Songbird.

_ "I won't hurt you, _ the Lonely Man tried again.

_ "I won't let you hurt me, _ repeated the Songbird.

"The man didn't try to get close to the cage again, knowing he would be attacked once more, but the Songbird needed to be cared for, the fragile thing, and the Lonely Man decided to try. Carefully, the Lonely Man gave the Songbird food and water, being attacked once more in his tries to open the cage again while they were distracted with quenching their thirst and hunger. He didn't try again, but the Songbird would live.

"The Lonely Man took the cage from the branch, careful, not wanting to scare the poor bird trapped inside of it, and took it home where he could tend to the Songbird properly. One day, he tried to whistle a melody, wondering why the Songbird wouldn't sing anymore, but the Songbird didn't sing back.  _ There's no one to hear my song past this prison, _ lamented the Songbird.

_ "I can hear your song, _ said the Lonely Man.

_ "There is no song anymore, _ answered the Songbird,  _ My song was unique, but now it's gone. It left me when I lost my freedom. _

"As the days went on, the Songbird kept their silence. The man whistled, but the Songbird refused to sing along, for there wasn't any song in their heart for them to sing. Until, one day, as the Lonely Man whistled, the Songbird sang the melody back, quietly and out of tune. The man looked at the Songbird in awe at the broken notes, at the sound that resembled the one that used to fill the land with song. The man whistled again, different notes, and after a while the Songbird sang back."

"Is that why you whistle to birds?" Erik interrupted, Charles' eyes moving to his face as he looked up into his cerulean eyes. "Because of this story?"

"Partly, yes." Charles nodded, smiling lightly and using the hand that held Erik close to take some strands of hair from Erik's face. Erik's eyes never left Charles'. "But I just love music and the melodies of the Songbirds. Always have. Even before hearing this story, my father used to say I'd babble for the birds as a babe to hear them sing back to me."

Erik smiled at that, a sudden fondness taking him by surprise with the idea of Charles as a small baby making random sounds to the birds like the one Erik had seen when they arrived at the hills of Westchester.

Erik wished Genosha had Songbirds like Westchester for a moment, just to see Charles whistling to the birds whenever he had the time. Charles seemed to hear that thought, smiling down at him with a soft gaze.

He didn't say a word, his hand caressing Erik's hair for a moment before his eyes were back on the book, taking a deep breath before reading out loud again.

"Everyday they'd sing together, the Lonely Man first, the Songbird second, learning to sing again in their new home. And then one day, the Songbird sang first, the notes still hesitant, scared that once more their song wouldn't be heard. To their delight, the Lonely Man whistled back the same notes. Suddenly, they had a song of their own, one that no other bird or man knew, singing the melody in unison. With each day the Songbird's voice became louder, confident again, and the man noticed they stopped pecking at his fingers whenever he tried to get closer to the cage.  _ You are my friend, kind man, _ the Songbird said,  _ You gave me back my song, you hear it past my prison. _

"Suddenly, the Lonely Man wasn't as lonely anymore, and the Songbird became his best friend, his familiar. It came a day, however, when the Lonely Man realized he could open the cage and free the only friend he had ever had, let them free to sing their song to the world again. He wanted to keep the Songbird, to keep their song, but he couldn't let them suffer inside that cage any longer."

Erik frowned just then at the story, blinking a few times before his eyes went down on the mattress, able to see part of the collar that was now laying next to his and Charles' legs.

A metal cage imprisoning the Songbird, a lonely man who didn't want to let go. He clenched his jaw, hearing the story more intently now, curious about its end.

"The cage was opened, the Songbird noticing the small passage he had used to imprison themselves was there again and freedom was near." Charles kept going, Erik's head pressing a bit more to Charles' chest as he read those words, a melancholic feeling taking over him as he felt like something in the story giving him an answer he was afraid to hear, from a question he was afraid to ask. "They left the cage, opening their wings and flying around, a joyful song leaving their beak as they started to make their way to an open window. They stopped at the windowsill, turned back to look at the Lonely Man and saw him smile, but his eyes were sad."

"So the Songbird just leaves?" Erik asked, eyes staring at the picture of the Songbird on the windowsill on the page.

Charles' eyes lowered to him again, but Erik didn't look up. Under his head, Erik could feel Charles' heart beating calmly and the warmth of his skin. Comforting, something he didn't want to lose.

"Let me finish the story." Charles' voice was humorous, no hint in it of him knowing of the conflict inside Erik's mind, and Erik was thankful for that. When Charles kept going, Erik felt the other man's arm holding him a little tighter. "The Songbird noticed then that the only song they knew now was the one they had made with the Lonely Man, that they couldn't sing the song without him. They could make new songs without him, sing by themselves like they've always done, but they found out they didn't want to. There was beauty, the Songbird realized, in letting someone sing along or guide the melody for them sometimes. There was freedom in being able to sing even before the cage had been open. 

_ "Come with me, _ offered the Songbird,  _ Sing with me and make the other birds sing like you made me. Keep me free and I'll keep you company. _

_ "I will, _ agreed the Lonely Man,  _ No one shall take away your freedom again. _

"When the golden sun shone on the horizon line against the hills that day, the land was filled with song again. The birds sang along to the new melody, to the Songbird and the Lonely Man.

_ "I am the bird that gives song to this land, _ sang the Songbird with the man accompanying them,  _ I am the one who makes the other birds sing, he is the one who sings along. He is the one who gave me a song." _

Erik stared at the watercolor painting that took over an entire page of the book right after the last words, of the man walking on the hills and the Songbird flying over him with its beak open, singing their song. A hopeful ending after a fateful story, perfect for a children's book, but not always applicable in reality. Erik's eyes fell to the collar again, lingering there as he felt once again like that thing didn't belong on Charles' body anymore, like it never did.

"You didn't seem to like the story…" Charles' voice was curious above him, his hand once again moving to Erik's hair once he put the book away, fingers carding through Erik's hair softly. "Your mind feels sad."

"Would you free the Songbird?" Erik asked, avoiding Charles' eyes now as he buried his face against Charles' chest. His voice was quiet. "Even if they never willingly asked to be free?"

Charles took a moment to answer, the only noise in the room now being their quiet breathing and the fire burning the wood on the fireplace next to them. He felt Charles trying to understand the question, quickly pushing away any thoughts that could give away the intentions behind his words. After a while, Charles talked again.

"I would. It's not their place, is it? Living in a cage?" there wasn't anything showing that Charles had figured out what Erik was wondering about before. "They were made to be free and sing their song through the land. It's not fair to cage them."

And then, after a moment of quiet again, Charles added, "Would you?"

"They were made to be free." Erik said quietly into Charles' skin, eyes closed tightly as he held Charles close like he would fly away from him at any second. "So they should be free. Yes."

They stood at the top of the hill that made border with the nearest Human Kingdom, Erik's eyes seeing the small village in the distance. If he were to guess, Erik would estimate less than seven hundred people lived there considering the number of buildings and the small portion of land it took on the horizon.

But, at the corners of the village, Erik saw the machines he had grown to fear, standing taller than the tallest building there. The Sentinels looked like something out of that world as their silver colored exterior shone with the first rays of the rising sun, standing there like silent guardians. There was the nagging feeling at the back of Erik's head, an idea born of fear, that they would break their stillness and fly towards them. If that happened, Erik was more than sure that it would be their doom, so he hoped it was only his fear talking.

"It's time." Irene's voice warned and Erik only took a deep breath before raising his hand and feeling the collars around the three telepaths throats, bending them until they all fell to the ground with a soft  _ thuding _ sound.

As if expecting it, Charles moved quickly to stand behind Emma Frost, his arms catching her as she gasped and her legs gave in. Her hands were on her head, shaking slightly as Charles kept her standing up, muttering encouraging words to her.

_ «She has been without her telepathy for years now.» _ Erik wasn't sure if Charles had sent that to him alone or to everyone in the group, eyes not leaving Emma once. _ «She needs a moment to get used to it again.» _

Erik and all the others watched curiously as Emma tried to get herself together, her body suddenly turning into crystal for a slight moment before going back to normal — a secondary mutation, maybe. When she finally seemed well enough to stand on her feet, Charles helped her carefully, letting go of her body but leaving his hand on her shoulder. They looked at each other for a moment, Emma's face looking as cold as ever as Charles frowned slightly, both in silence, and it wasn't hard to guess they were having a conversation. 

After a few seconds, Charles gave her a kind smile, her expression softening slightly even if she didn't smile back, and soon she was standing tall again, cold determination in her eyes as Charles' hand left her shoulder.

"Let's get this over with quickly." Shaw's voice sounded behind them, annoyed, head still covered by Erik's helm.

Charles took a few steps forward, eyes looking at the village in the distance as Emma and Jean took their places on each side of him, their eyes focused on the village as well.

"Can you reach them from here?" Erik asked. All three telepaths nodded. "Then you know what to do-"

"Wait." Charles said, everyone looking at him at the interruption. His eyes looked like wild waters there, something going on in his mind.

"What is it?" Raven asked, stepping forward to stand near her brother. 

"We can't kill them-"

_ "What?" _ Shaw rasped out, taking a step towards Charles as the telepath turned to him with a cold gaze. Erik stepped between the both of them, his sword leaving the sheath by itself and pointing at Shaw's face as a warning. Next to him, Scott and Raven seemed ready to go against Shaw if needed as well. "We take the collar off of you and you start having ideas-"

"Would you  _ shut up _ for a second, Shaw?" Charles barked out, voice angry behind Erik. Shaw didn't look pleased with his words at all. "If you stopped interrupting and just  _ listened _ you'd spare yourself from looking stupid over and over again."

"Lehnsherr," Shaw's voice was a low growl as his eyes looked at Charles with fire behind them, "you better teach your pet good manners."

"Touch him and you can consider any peace between Hel and Genosha over, Shaw."

"Let's not start another war before finishing the first one, shall we, boys?" Emma interrupted, her voice clearly annoyed. All eyes went to her, and Shaw's didn't seem too happy as the telepath talked. "Charles, please, explain yourself."

"We can't kill them. At least not yet. They are useful." Charles said quickly, blue eyes looking at everyone in the group. "There was something bothering me about the plan, a loose part that I spent the night trying to figure out how to fix. We kill the humans, but the Sentinels are still there, they'll still attack the remaining mutants."

"You want us to control them." Jean Grey suddenly said, apparently understanding Charles' logic, frowning as she put the pieces together.

"If the humans are the ones to destroy the Sentinels, they won't attack. They are made to attack  _ us." _ Charles nodded at his own words, his eyes falling over Erik for a moment. He seemed sure of his words. "Besides, I felt the Creators there. They're the minds with the information on how to build the Sentinels."

"Then what should we do?"

"You and Emma reach for everyone in the village, save from the children. Give them a command to destroy the Sentinels piece by piece."

"And you?" Emma questioned, her eyes narrowed at him.

"I'll take the Creators. There are blueprints with them that I'll get destroyed."

"And what about after?" Raven asked, a worried look in her yellow eyes. She seemed unsure about this plan.

Charles' eyes hardened, a dark shadow crossing them before he turned to look at the village again. Erik watched as his fists clenched and unclenched by his sides.

"We kill." Charles said, his words getting carried by the wind. "Or we keep them."

Erik stood by, his sword going back to its sheath as he watched the telepaths stand there again, eyes on the village as they went silent.

For a moment, nothing happened. Charles', Jean's and Emma's eyes seemed to lack focus for a moment as the three of them stood there, but suddenly there were the sounds of screams coming from the distance, carried by the cold wind that still blew in Westchester. Erik's eyes widened as he saw the villagers leave their homes, going towards the Sentinels and attacking the machines with everything they could, Jean's and Emma's commands stopping them from doing anything else. Erik looked at them, seeing a calm on their faces that didn't translate to what they were doing. Erik felt a shiver run up his spine.

It was an incredible but terrifying power, the one of bending minds. If he remembered well from old lessons about Ancient Magic, bending someone's mind took a toll on the person who tried to do it, and yet telepaths held that power within them naturally. A marvelous power to hold, but arguably too much power, especially if held by the wrong hands.

Erik's gaze went back to the village, his eyes widening again as he noticed a group of people leaving one of the houses in the village with despair as the building burned up in flames that only grew and grew uncontrollably. They stood outside of it for a moment, staring up at the flames and screaming between themselves as the other villagers started to finally manage to rip the Sentinels apart, the machines unmoving with the human presence around them. It looked like a scene from a nightmare with the fire and screams on the horizon.

It was only then that something else happened, the group of people around the burning building stiffening for a moment before they formed a straight line, facing the entrance of the burning building, as if ready to go inside again. Their bodies were unmoving.

"I can feel your fear." Charles' voice said, all eyes turning to him as he spoke. He seemed out of himself there, anger burning behind his eyes as they filled with tears that fell carelessly against his cheeks, the cold wind and the anger coloring them in a red flush. "But I could also feel the fear of my people on the day you destroyed my home and  _ killed _ them. You scream for mercy in your minds, but when I screamed for mercy all I got was death and loss. You dug your own grave, now lie in it. When you die, so will what you created, by the hands of the ones you tried to destroy."

Erik watched as the group — the Creators, if they were being controlled by Charles — walked one by one into the burning building without faltering, until there was no one left outside, until they were locked inside with the flames. When Charles took a deep breath and blinked a few times, coming back to his own head, there was a pained scream that crossed the land separating them from the humans.

"Don't kill the villagers." Charles said, turning around from the village and massaging his temples for a moment. "Send them to the next place with Sentinels so they can do the same thing over and over again. Let the humans kill themselves, order them to destroy all and anything related to the Sentinels, including the Creators. When we reach the next village we can give the same instructions to other people."

"So they'll do the dirty work for us." Emma's voice was slightly distant, eyes staring at the group of villagers who brought down the first Sentinel. "I'm starting to see why you were King."

_ "Cunning little thing, _ as you said once." Charles smiled at his own words, making a small smile appear on Emma's lips. Erik only stared at them curiously.

In just a few moments, when the sun finally rose and illuminated the land, the screaming of the village stopped, the Sentinels smashed into pieces as the humans walked away to fulfill the orders they were given. Everything went silent, except for the song of a Songbird in the distance, announcing a new day that had just began.

"We won." Irene said, all eyes going to her. Her golden mask shone bright with the sunlight. "Charles' plan will work as intended, our army will only have to fight a few easy battles, and it's over. The Human Kingdoms that have their borders with the Four will fall and so will their Sentinels."

"Let's leave the celebration for when victory truly comes." Erik sighed, looking at the now desolate village once more. "The future changed before, let's just hope it won't change again."

Erik took a deep breath as he lowered his sword and allowed the grip on the metal around him to loosen, feeling the blood, sweat and dirt covering his face and making the few scratches there burn slightly. The remaining humans retreated in the distance, their numbers now down to a few hundreds after the battle was done; Erik watched them go, his breathing loud in his own ears as the world around him seemed to be quiet. They had won.

The roar of victory from the mutants fighting alongside him filled his ears, his body divided between the weariness of a long battle and the thrill of finally being done with it, of finally winning. It would be a long journey back home still, they were on human lands to the south of Genosha, but there was a quiet relief in his chest as he realized he would be back home and that home was safe.

There were no Sentinels left, the humans had destroyed them all after Emma, Jean and Charles put the order in their minds; the Creators and the blueprints for the machines were also gone, killed and destroyed by the telepaths or during the few fights that broke before they had to go south to battle. They were finally safe, and the borders between the Four and the Human Kingdoms were now separated by a barren land no human would dare to try and settle on — courtesy of Shaw and his power, destroying miles and miles of land and turning it into ashes.

Erik got down on his knee, sinking his sword on the ground and resting his head on it as he took another deep breath. He was well, there were minor injuries on his body that would heal in a matter of days, and he'd go home soon. The war was over.

His eyes rose after a while, looking behind himself at the horizon and seeing a figure standing on top of a cliff in the distance. He felt a familiar feeling touching his mind, hovering above his thoughts as if watching over him, and a smile appeared on his face. 

_ «Come,» _ Charles' voice in his mind was soft as a bird's song,  _ «let's go home.» _

Erik made it to get up, grunting as his body moved and his muscles ached, already dreaming of Genosha and Charles' arms, of being on a proper bed with the other man again and being able to hold him in his arms and not worry about the next day's battle; Charles' presence in his mind felt soft at those thoughts, satisfied with them, but it distracted Erik too much.

He should've known better than to let himself be distracted like that in the middle of a battlefield — he was a trained soldier, for God's sake —, but the longing of having Charles in his arms again didn't allow him to notice someone getting closer, or the sword that was shoved into his shoulder.

His eyes widened with the pain, mouth opening in a scream as he noticed Charles' presence in his mind turn desperate, a jumble of thoughts that weren't his inside his head. Most of the thoughts, he noticed, seemed to be his name, screamed at him in a thousand different ways.

With a wave of his fingers the metal of the sword left his body, another scream leaving his mouth as the searing pain on the wound coursed through his body. A hand held the back of Erik's nape as he was about to get up, strong and unyielding, as another one rested on the sword would and pressed there, Erik's vision turning black with the pain for a moment. Inside his head, Charles seemed like he was screaming — of all the words coming from the telepath, he could only hear  _ "helm". _

"It has been fun, your Majesty," Shaw's voice said, his lips close to Erik's ear as he talked, fingers pressing down on Erik's shoulder again until the Genoshan King almost fainted, "but it's time for you to step down. Think how lovely it'll be to rule over that kingdom of yours…"

"Shaw, you son of a-" his words were cut by another scream, a maniacal laugh leaving Shaw's lips. 

For a moment, Erik wondered why no one was stepping in to save him, why his soldiers weren't attacking Shaw at that same moment, but got his answer when he looked around with his blurry vision. On a tight circle around him, Shaw's soldiers stood with Hel's colors in their armors, wooden spears pointed at him — he tried seeking for the metal around him, tried bringing every sword and knife on the field to end the soldiers, but the pain was blinding, his senses unreliable; he'd die there, with Charles in his mind, screaming above Erik's thoughts.

_ «Erik, listen to me!» _ Charles' voice said — his beautiful, beautiful voice, like a song in Erik's head, his little Songbird. He was almost glad he was able to hear it as the scene unfolded.  _ «Take the helm!» _

_ Take the helm, _ the words echoed in Erik's head. Behind him, Shaw seemed irritated with the fact his soldiers weren't moving anymore, frozen in place inexplicably.

_ Take the helm, _ over and over again around his mind as he felt his pain dying down as if there was something —  _ or someone _ — dimming it down, his focus slowly returning to him without the blinding pain coming from his injured shoulder.

_ Take the helm, _ a chanting in his brain now as he felt a burst of adrenaline coursing through his body, knowing it was Charles' doing, knowing Charles was inside his mind at that same moment doing something to make Erik capable of making his next move.

With a movement of his arms that should've hurt on his injured shoulder, the helm in Shaw's head broke into multiple pieces, the metal flying and piercing the bodies of all the soldiers that formed the circle around him, the ones Charles was controlling and keeping from attacking him. It was a matter of seconds before they all fell down, dead.

Erik was about to turn around and look at Shaw again when the other King stepped back. At first, Erik thought he'd try to run and escape Erik's rage, but, as turned around, he noticed Shaw still as a statue where he stood, frowning. Charles apparently had gotten a hold on him.

_ «It isn't me. I was about to kill him but-» _ Charles' voice sounded in Erik's mind, making him frown. After a few seconds, whoever, Charles spoke again,  _ «Emma.» _

Erik raised his sword with a wave of his hand, feeling lightheaded with the amount of blood he had already lost, the warm crimson liquid wetting his clothes and making them glue to his skin. He knew Charles was doing something with his mind that made him numb to the pain, but he guessed the blood and sweat and dirt on his body weren't pleasant on his wound. He was just thankful for not being able to feel it yet.

As he was about to make a blow on Shaw and end his sorry life, he noticed Shaw kneel, eyes now on Erik, panic and anger behind them as he stared. There was a different presence in his mind now, by Charles' side, colder than Charles'.

_ «I'm sorry, Genoshan King,» _ Emma Frost said in his mind, voice as cold and cutting as her presence,  _ «I'm sure you're angry, and I'm sure Charles would love to end him after he hurt you, but I'll take the honors. I was first in line, after all.» _

It was quick, so quick that Erik almost missed when the life drained from Shaw's eyes, and soon he was falling to the ground with a silent  _ thud, _ eyes open but unseeing. Hel's King was nothing but a corpse.

_ «Erik,» _ Charles' voice in his head was worried as Emma's presence retreated. Erik felt his legs failing for a moment, falling on his knees as he felt weak, his body colder than it should be.  _ «Erik, hold on. Stay with me, there's someone coming for you. You'll be okay.» _

As Erik's body lost his strength, he saw someone get close to him in a hurry — Logan, if his eyes saw it right and his senses were to be trusted as he felt the metal skeleton of the man.

"Alright," his gruff voice said as he lowered himself towards Erik's body, "let's get you some help before Chuck breaks my skull with his screams, your Majesty."

As he felt himself being hoisted by Logan's arms, Erik's mind turned unconscious, Charles' voice soothing him as he fell into a slumber.

Erik woke up with the feeling of fingers going through his hair, the touch soft and careful, as a voice —  _ Charles' voice _ — sang softly next to him. There was an ache on his body, especially on his shoulder, stopping him from moving, and a weight on his eyes from the fatigue, but his ears were well enough to just listen to the song being sang.

_ "Under the stars, there you lay at ease. And your face, it colors with the breeze." _ Charles' voice was quiet, it was only for Erik to listen — he was singing for Erik, the notes soft on his tongue.  _ "So let it come, let it go. Let the wind take away worries from long ago..."  _

His voice paused for a second, silence around Erik now as he felt the familiar feeling of Charles against his mind, right before Charles' voice sounded again, "I was getting worried you wouldn't wake up."

Erik smiled a bit, still not opening his eyes as he felt them too heavy still to do it. He didn't like not being able to see Charles' face again, his cerulean eyes looking back at him for sure. He wished to see them again.

"What was that song?" Erik managed to ask, frowning at his own voice as he heard it breaking and almost not even there. He was suddenly aware of how dry his throat was.

By his side, Charles shushed him softly, fingers brushing hairs away from Erik's forehead. 

"I'll get you some water soon. You've been out for almost two full days… Lost a lot of blood."

Erik opened his mouth to talk again, thinking better than that and closing his lips before he thought what he wanted to ask. Charles would be able to catch that, he was sure.

_ «How bad is it?» _

"Could've been worse. Shaw's blow hit you on the only spot that kept you from immediately dying." Charles explained calmly, voice still soothing as he talked although Charles' fingers seemed to falter for a moment. "Once we stopped the bleeding, it was okay. You just needed to rest. And rest you did."

_ «And Shaw? Is he dead?» _

"Emma made sure of that." the telepath sighed. "She won't be welcome at Hel after Shaw's death, there'll be a fight for the throne and it's possible that a civil war will start there because the King died but there was no winner to take the crown. I've talked to Raven already and she's going to take Emma to Westchester once the time has come."

Erik smiled at that, opening his mouth again for his next words, "The telepath kingdom."

"We need a place to go since everyone seems intent on ending us."

"I don't want to end you." Erik promptly said, still high on his exhaustion, unable to stop a pout to form on his lips.

Charles' lips curved up at the words, Erik's eyes finally opening, blinking a few times to get used to the light, just in time to see that smile — the telepath seemed tired, but his eyes shone like sapphires like they always did. After a few moments, Charles spoke again.

"My father was the one who wrote that song I sang you," he explained, looking at Erik's eyes and smiling at ease as he said those words. "He wrote it for my mother when trying to court her."

"And it worked?"

"Too much, I'd say." Charles chuckled, making Erik smile up at him. "Let's just say my mother was already pregnant with me when she became Queen."

Erik chuckled, the sound turning into a hiss as he winced, his shoulder hurting at the small movement as if the sword that sliced through it was still doing exactly that. Charles placed his hand on Erik's cheek with that, cradling his face with a gentle touch, blue eyes looking down worriedly at Erik.

"I think you should rest a bit more. Your body took more strain than it should when I disabled your pain perception and made your body go into an adrenaline rush… I'm sorry for that."

"It kept me alive." Erik said with a strained voice, moving his hand to take Charles'. His arm seemed to ache as he did that movement, even if it wasn't the one with the injured shoulder, as if he was sore even with the amount of rest he got already. "I have to thank you for that."

"You can do that later." Charles smiled, leaning down to place a kiss to Erik's forehead as if bestowing him with a blessing. "For now, go back to sleep."

The command in Charles' voice was enough to make him close his eyes again, a soft haze taking over his mind as he fell asleep again, Charles' touch never leaving his mind.

He dreamt with the Songbird on the branch he'd seen in Westchester at the beginning of Spring, singing its song to Erik before flying away.

Erik stood in the throne room by himself, his hands behind his back as he looked outside through the window, the ache of his wound almost completely gone now. The sun shone bright in Genosha that day, Spring almost gone as the first days of Summer came silently, bringing the warm days and the brilliant sun with it. The city around the castle seemed calm, everyone doing their daily work like they always did, as if the war hadn't just ended a week prior to that day.

He could see as well a few carriages and wagons at the gates of the castle, ready to leave soon. He felt a lump on his throat as he looked at them, a sad expression taking over his eyes that he didn't allow to stay there for long. He had no right to be sad, he reminded himself; it was the least he could do.

The doors to the throne room opened, the sound of steps making Erik turn around and see Charles entering, sunlight hitting him and giving him a timeless appearance that made Erik long to hold him in his arms. The way his eyes shone when the sunlight hit the blue in them reminded Erik of clear waters on a sunny day.

It was absolutely beautiful, and the calm smile painting Charles' lips made everything even more perfect. If Erik could frame that small moment and keep it forever, he would.

"They're almost ready to leave for Westchester," Charles said, the joy in his voice at his own words making Erik smile at him, "Emma's already getting impatient but Raven said they just haven't left yet because they're waiting for your orders. She said you had something to do before the Genoshans could go with them to Westchester to help the rebuilding…"

"I do." Erik nodded, feeling his hands shaking slightly as he anticipated the next moment. When he spoke again, his voice was almost a whisper. "Come closer, will you?"

Charles frowned at Erik's behavior, the collar around his throat stopping him from finding out what exactly made Erik act like that, but he obeyed either way. He took the few steps that separated them, his hand raising to cradle Erik's face as his blue eyes shone with some worry.

Erik took the hand gently, placing a kiss to its palm and closing his eyes as he held it against his face. Charles' hands were slightly cold as they always were, but they felt soft against Erik's skin. He'd like to remember that touch.

"What's going on?" Charles asked, voice as worried as his eyes looked. "Are you okay? Is your shoulder hurting?"

Erik didn't answer, opening his eyes again and taking Charles' hand, moving his own fingers up a bit more to grab Charles' wrist like he had done all those months ago, almost a year now, feeling the metal wristbands around it. Charles seemed thoroughly confused, but didn't say anything. His hand didn't grab Erik's wrist back.

"Hold my wrist, Charles." Erik said, eyes looking up at Charles as the telepath tried to understand what was happening.

Hesitantly, Erik felt Charles' fingers holding his wrist back, the pulsing of magic suddenly strong again against their skin, their pact still alive and binding them to each other. Erik knew that, without that pulsing power that coursed through them at that moment, Charles wouldn't be there; he couldn't keep it there anymore.

"Let the Ancient Magic hear that I free you of your side of our pact." Erik said the words, his voice weaker than he intended. Charles' eyes went wide immediately. "You owe nothing more to me, King of Westchester, but I'll keep my promise to you of aiding on the rebuilding of your kingdom, or so the Magic take my life as debt."

"Erik-"

"Your kingdom needs you." he let go of Charles' arm then, his hand clenching by his side as the pull of magic was now weaker, only on him now.

His eyes fell to Charles' throat, to the collar around it, and then to the wristbands. With a wave of his fingers, the metal broke in pieces, falling to the ground with a loud sound of metal against stone. Charles was free again, there was nothing keeping him in Genosha —  _ keeping him with Erik _ — anymore.

"Why would you-"

"I had to open the cage." Erik's voice was still quiet, a sad smile painting his lips as he watched Charles staring at him in disbelief as he slowly understood his words.

The telepath left out a shuddering breath, blinking a few times and taking a step back as if he was about to fall backwards at any second. Erik swallowed the lump around his throat, letting Charles take in what had just happened.

"There is certainly something to be said about you, Erik of Genosha." Charles' voice was shaky, hands moving up to touch his throat and wrists for a moment. "You don't stop surprising me."

"Hopefully that's good." Charles huffed out a chuckle, frown never leaving his face as he stared at Erik.

"Most of the time, yes."

"You should go." Erik tilted his head at the doors for a second, his chest hurting at his own words. "It's a long trip to Westchester. You'll have a lot to fix when you get there, I'm afraid."

Charles didn't move for a moment, blue eyes still on Erik's as his face softened. There was a bitter happiness in his heart when Charles stepped closer again, pulling his head down for a soft kiss, hugging the telepath close to enjoy the feeling of Charles' body against his one last time. He didn't want to let go, and yet he knew that kiss wouldn't last forever.

And so it didn't.

Charles pulled back after a few seconds, hands lingering on Erik's face for a moment more before he took a few steps back again. They looked at each other, Erik's heart beating loudly in his chest as part of him hoped that maybe, against all odds, Charles would stay. Maybe he'd choose Erik, maybe he loved Erik as much as Erik loved him —  _ Erik loved him. _

_ What a terrifying thing to find out, _ Erik thought,  _ when you just set him free. _

But Erik should've known how dangerous it was to hope for a hopeless thing, how much it hurt.

Charles bowed at Erik then, polite and formal, his eyes rising to Erik one last time. He seemed like he wanted to say something, lips opening and closing a few times before he shut them completely. Charles' eyes stayed on Erik's, staring with a mix of emotions making the blue of his irises look wild now. With some hesitation, Charles turned his back and walked away with quick steps, the only thing left from him now with Erik being the pieces of the broken obsidian colored metal and the wristbands laying on the stone ground.

He was alone again, the silence of the throne room feeling too loud in his ears. He didn't know what complete silence felt like ever since he first met Charles — it felt heavy and  _ wrong. _

He walked to his throne, his steps feeling heavy, sitting down with a sigh and closing his eyes as he fought back the gloom threatening to take over him. Charles' eyes seemed to be engraved on the back of his eyelids, haunting him in the darkness of his closed eyes, and he wondered for how long they'd be there. He wondered if they would be there when he opened his eyes again.

When he opened his eyes, there were no cerulean eyes looking back at him. He was alone.


	6. EPILOGUE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _"So the Songbird just leaves?"_   
>  _"Let me finish the story."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am awful at ending stories because I never want them to end, especially when I'm as attached to them as I am to this one. This is, as I said a million times already, a passion project that I put a lot of effort into, so it's very emotional for me to end it. I just spent the last four hours finishing this chapter and editing it to post (if there are too many mistakes I'm sorry, it's literally 4am right now 😂😂). Thank you all who commented so far and accompanied it because it only made me more excited to write and post this when I saw the feedback.  
> I'll cut myself short here because I could ramble through the rest of the words ao3 gives me to write this note, so just enjoy this chapter and I see you on the end notes! ❤️

**"I am the one who makes the other birds sing, he is the one who sings along. He is the one who gave me a song";**

**AUTUMN**

It took nearly six months for Erik to see Charles again.

He had been at the library when one of the servants arrived, distracting him from the book he was reading and making him sigh. He had asked to not be disturbed that day, had made it clear that he wanted to be alone unless he called for someone himself, and he made sure to remind the young man about it as he stood nervously at the door and watched Erik raise his face from his book and give him a cold glare.

“I’m sorry, Sire,” the young man had said, his hands moving nervously as he talked. “But the Westchester King is here.”

Erik felt as if his whole being came to a halt at those words, and it didn’t take long for him to almost run out of the library towards the throne room where supposedly Charles was waiting for him — Erik would later deny he had ran to any soul who tried to say otherwise, even if he could hear the mumbling of his servants through the castle. If he had stopped to think instead of running first, he’d have realized sooner that he was wearing nothing but a robe and loose cotton pants, barefoot as his feet pressed against the cold stone ground of the Genoshan castle, but his clothes didn’t matter as much as the want to know if it was true, if Charles was truly there after so many months.

It was Autumn now, Winter coming slowly and bringing with it cold and memories —  _ so many memories _ — of cold nights and a body next to his on the bed. Of Wheat Beer and the smell of it and pastries on Charles' body as he held him close. All memories of Charles, who seemed to still have a hold on his mind and heart even being so far away.

The young man that had warned Erik about the Westchester King's presence had said something about the throne room before Erik bolted through the door, so that's where Erik's feet guided him, entering through the already opened doors and letting his eyes roam through the room and stop on a figure standing by one of the windows, illuminated by the warm sunlight that shone through the glass.

It felt like Erik was seeing a ghost, the memory of being there six months prior, staring at that same window while Charles entered through the doors coming back in a rush. It  _ was _ Charles there, cerulean eyes moving from the window to Erik as he took note of his presence, and Erik couldn't look at anything else now other than Charles. 

He looked the same as he did months ago, the same eyes, the same powerful posture as he stood in Erik's presence, his form framed by a black tunic with blue and golden embroidery — the same one Erik had gifted him last Winter by the looks if it, the Genoshan King noticed — and a golden crown against the dark curls of his hair. When Charles smiled, Erik almost lost his breath. 

"Did I arrive at a bad time?" Charles asked, his voice ringing like music to Erik's ears after so long of not listening to it. Charles' eyes lowered to Erik's body for a moment, looking amused, before they were meeting Erik's again. "You seem… very casual, your Majesty."

Erik frowned, looking at himself as he finally realized what he was wearing and pressing his lips into a tight line. Charles had seen him in much less — with no clothes on, bare as the day he came into the world, to be exact — but he guessed that his clothes weren't exactly the best ones to greet another ruler, that ruler being Charles or not.

"I just- Um…" Erik tried, seeing an amused glint crossing the blue of Charles' eyes. "I wasn't expecting your visit.  _ Any _ visits, for that matter."

"I know. I apologize for coming without sending word first, but Autumn is going by fast and once Winter comes leaving Westchester will be near impossible," Charles shrugged, putting his hands behind his back and taking a few steps towards Erik. "I have something I would like to discuss with you, and I don't think I could wait for Spring to do so."

Charles seemed formal, none of the intimacy they shared before shining through him, and part of Erik felt disappointed with that. He had lost count of how many times he had dreamed that Charles was back, that he'd stay this time, and woken up to an empty bed and the feeling of loneliness eating him inside — he wondered as well if that wasn't another dream, although he knew it wasn't, not when Charles was being formal like that. No, his mind was cruel enough to make Erik long, to give Erik what he so desperately wanted and then take it away when he woke up. That, with the formality, wasn't a dream, it was the heavy and piercing reality.

He bit the inside of his mouth for a moment as he realized his disappointment. He had no right to feel like that when he had let Charles free to make his choice in the first place; he should've known that his choice wasn't Erik, not after everything.

Even so, knowing it didn't make the bitter taste in his mouth go away.

"Would you mind waiting a while?" Erik finally asked, seeing Charles tilting his head a bit. "I'd rather be wearing something more appropriate to discuss politics."

The smile on Charles' lips was wide after Erik's words, a small chuckle leaving his red lips as amusement took over his expression in a way that Erik had only seen in their last months together. As the sun that came from the window hit him, Charles looked ethereal.

"We used to discuss it naked on your bed just a few months ago," he said, catching Erik by surprise with his words and the memory they brought — a cold Winter night, the fireplace of Erik's quarters lit up as the wind blew outside, Charles' skin covered in sweat pressed against Erik's as they talked about the future and the attack yet to come… "But if you feel more comfortable having your chest covered and having shoes on, I think I can wait."

Something dark crossed Charles' then, and Erik knew that look all too well even with the time away to know it meant there was something in Charles' mind, something not good and, by the way his eyes focused on Erik, it was about him.

"Would you prefer I wear the collar, my liege?"

"No." Erik said without missing a beat, frowning as Charles' eyes lost the darkness in them, softening all over again. "No. You've proved yourself trustworthy to me months ago."

_ Never again, _ Erik thought, although he hoped Charles wasn't listening in.  _ No more cages. _

Charles nodded shortly, offering him a small smile that slowly grew. Erik would love to believe that the next thing he saw in those ocean eyes was fondness, although he had a nagging feeling that it was only his imagination.

Erik had taken some time to get dressed, denying every piece of clothing his servants tried to give him —  _ too formal, not formal enough, Charles didn't like this one when I wore it _ — until he settled for a maroon mantle that belonged to his mother and some light colored clothes underneath. He liked wearing his mother's mantle, although he barely did it, scared he'd accidentally ruin it somehow. The fabric was soft against his skin, and it gave him the comfort he needed as he prepared himself for what was to come with Charles.

He met the Westchester King at one of the common rooms of the castle, observing silently as Charles perused through the books on the bookshelves, the scene looking strangely familiar and not at all at the same time. Charles used to do that before, used to look at the books Erik had in his possession until he found one that caught his interest and took it to read, but there was no crown on his head back then, nor the Westchesterian clothes against his body. It was the same scene, but different.

Charles seemed to realize Erik was there only a few seconds later, turning to look at Erik with a gentle smile on his lips and a calm gaze. Erik held his mother's mantle for a second, seeking the soft fabric's touch to stop himself from wanting Charles so badly.

"Someone brought tea and those Genoshan pastries I liked when I was here," Charles said, conversational, pointing at the tray with the tea and the pastries he was talking about. "I was wondering if it was rude not to wait for you before eating one, but thankfully you arrived."

"Please," Erik managed to say, gesturing with his head to the chairs next to the small table where the food was. "Make yourself at home."

Erik sat down first, making sure not to crumple the mantle as he did so, and felt the lit fireplace next to him warming his body nicely, even if his hands suddenly felt cold. Charles was there again after six months, so close and yet unreachable. Erik's hands longed to touch, to feel the warmth of his skin again. It was torture to know he couldn't.

Charles sat down gracefully, a smile on his lips as he reached for a pastry and took a bite of it, a small hum of approval leaving his lips as Erik decided to keep his hands busy with pouring them the tea. There should be someone there to do it for them, but Erik had forbidden everyone from interrupting the two of them, no matter what happened. He wanted that moment with Charles alone.

As he finished pouring the tea, he realized he hadn't had that combination of foods in a while. The strong tea with the sweet pastry smelled like Charles, but then again, so did the books in his library, and the coming Winter winds, and the orchards as he passed through them in the late afternoon while riding — even the bedsheets on his bed, although he was sure that was just his imagination. Every smell and every sight reminded him of Charles.

"I might steal some of your cooks to take with me to Westchester, your Majesty," Charles said with a chuckle, taking a sip of his tea and smiling brightly at it. Erik felt the air being taken from his lungs at the sight. "I have to say I missed this taste…"

"Well, I can surely arrange for you to take some of these with you when you travel back to Westchester." 

There was a weird look in Charles' face then, a spark of something that Erik couldn't read, and soon Charles' eyes were down on his own lap. Erik didn't understand his reaction at all, but decided not to ask, eyes moving away from Charles as well. He didn't know, after all, what he could and couldn't ask Charles now.

"You've grown a beard," Charles' voice said after a few seconds of silence, Erik's eyes going back to the Westchester King and seeing him staring back. 

"It wasn't really conscious," Erik tried giving him a smile, hand moving to touch the hair on his face, soft and auburn while illuminated by the fireplace. Charles seemed confused at his words. "I forgot to shave one day and didn't try to fix it after."

"Well, I think it rather suits you."

"You seem to not have changed at all," Erik heard the words escaping his mouth, soft and full of an emotion he hated himself for showing like this, swallowing the lump that appeared on his throat and lowering his eyes for a moment. 

"I did have a full beard before I came here, but ended up shaving again," Erik noticed the shrug Charles gave, trying his best to keep his eyes on Charles' again. "Raven said I should pretend I'm not an old man for a while longer and take the beard off because it's an  _ old people thing, _ as she kindly put it."

"I'm barely older than you."

"Then I hope my sister's words don't make you angry, your Majesty." 

The easy way in which Charles said those words and the smile on his lips, as well as the way his blue eyes shone, made Erik smile. He missed Charles, and it was only then, with him there talking in such a casual manner, that Erik realized just  _ how much. _ He knew he was lonely before Charles, knew that, maybe, he needed company, and it was unfair how the company he desired was the one he couldn't have.

"Well, I should stop wasting your time and go straight to the point," Charles said, taking a deep breath and placing his cup of tea back at the small table before joining his hands together against his lap. Erik tried not to think about how he wasn't wasting Erik's time at all, how he longed for more, afraid that the telepath would hear his thoughts and he'd make a fool of himself. "Again, I am sorry for coming without warning first, but I thought it was important and I don't think I could've waited… I'm sure you've heard about the progress of Westchester's rebuilding...?"

Erik nodded lightly, hearing the shift in Charles' voice from casual to formal. Erik wished their conversation would've lasted longer before Charles went straight to the point.

“I am, yes. One of the Genoshans who volunteered to go to Westchester came here just two days ago with the latest news. I was led to believe the capital is almost entirely on its feet...?”

“Yes, it is.” Even if Erik weren't looking, he was sure he would've been able to hear the smile in Charles’ voice there. It was happy and proud in a way Erik only saw in rare times in Charles' company — it was the smile Charles wore whenever he talked about home. “The palace is completely rebuilt, and so are the closest houses, which was enough to house the Westchesterians and the Genoshans who are there. Some people already moved on to the smaller villages to rebuild before Winter… Which brings me to what I came here for. The Genoshan who came with the last report told you how some of the Genoshans will be staying at Westchester once the rebuilding is done, didn’t they?”

They had, and Erik nodded positively at Charles' words. The Genoshan King remembered the moment the person came to talk to him, bowing to Erik and giving him the news about Westchester, including the one that made him raise his eyebrows: a few of the Genoshans had married a few of the Westchester’s survivors — or had the intention to do so in the near future in some cases — and would be staying in Charles’ kingdom from now on with their families, with the promise of being more than welcome to stay by Charles and Raven.

"And you?" Erik had asked the Genoshan who stood in front of him just two days prior, seeing a smile appear on their face.

"I'm afraid I'm staying at Westchester, Sire," they had said, apologetic but content with their decision either way. "It's where the one I love and who's carrying my child is. I hope you understand."

And Erik did. When the person had left the throne room to rest before making their way back to Westchester, Erik wished he had that choice as well. He loved his home, loved Genosha, but it was a revelation to him to realize his heart wasn't there anymore — it had left with Charles when he left that same throne room months prior.

"Well, I already knew Westchester wouldn't be the same once I went back, not after everything, but it seems that Westchester and Genosha are more connected than ever. I believe the cultures are clashing, my friend." Erik saw the bright smile in Charles' lips again, a spark in his eyes that made Erik desperate to hold his face and press a kiss to his lips. "Last Summer, right at the end, we made a small version of our Summer Carnival to cheer everyone up. The Genoshans added their own customs to the event, and now I think it'll be hard not to have this version every year… Small but significant changes."

"I think the same will happen with the Winter Festival this year," Erik managed to say, smiling as much as he could and seeing Charles' head tilting curiously for a moment. "A few Westchesterians stayed, as you know well. I've heard the people talking about bringing Westchester's music to play this year like it happened before the war. You might be right about Westchester and Genosha being more connected than ever…"

"Oh, I'd love to see it…" Charles chuckled, looking genuinely happy with the new information and making Erik's heart ache in his chest.

"If you manage to escape Westchester's Winter, your Majesty, you're welcome to participate in the capital's celebrations."

Charles looked at Erik for a moment, still smiling — so many smiles, so many more than Erik got to see in the days he had Charles in his arms — letting out an amused huff before nodding, accepting the invitation. The Westchester King took his cup of tea again, taking a sip and holding the small porcelain cup between his fingers, tracing and looking at the patterns painted on there for a moment as he seemed to think of something. Erik only waited, eyes on Charles as he took in his form once again. It was almost a need to take in everything he could to keep Charles fresh in his mind once he inevitably left.

"I've told you once I had plans of coming to Genosha to make you my ally before the human attacks," Charles kept going, eyes still down as he said those words — his face seemed calm, although there was a nervous glint in his eyes now. "I told you I never thought of something that could make you agree on making Genosha and Westchester stand together even if I was a telepath and you didn't trust me, but I think I finally found a good enough reason… Some Westchesterians stayed in Genosha when I left, some Genoshans will stay in Westchester, and I believe I owe you something for all Genosha did to bring my kingdom back from the ruble-"

"You don't owe me anything," Erik hurried to say, his body tensing ever so slightly. Charles seemed surprised at his reaction. "I freed you of our pact, but kept my word to you and did my part. You owe me nothing, Charles."

The Westchester King looked at Erik for a while, blue eyes gazing at his face and studying it like they used to do months ago, a small and calm smile appearing on his lips all of the sudden. Around them, the wood of the fireplace creaked lightly, a soothing noise as the conversation kept going. Erik had no idea where it would end up.

"You won't take what I won't give," Charles said all of the sudden, repeating words that Erik remembered uttering before, on the Summer Charles had been there —  _ had been his. _ "But I'm not about to give anything I don't want to, you can trust me on that, Erik. What I  _ want _ is to give you Westchester's aid and loyalty, if in turn you give me Genosha's… The first and the last of the Four standing together. You could say it's… a pact between the two."

Erik stared at Charles for a moment, taking in his words and knowing they weren't without purpose. A pact, a new one, between the two of them. Erik remembered what it felt like to have the constant pull of Ancient Magic around his arm, the one that bound him to Charles before he broke it — although there was still a quiet thrum of power surrounding him as his side of the deal wasn't fully finished yet, wouldn't be until Westchester was fully rebuilt. He should be ashamed how the idea of being bound to Charles again, of having  _ something _ tying them together, made him excited.

"Neither Muir or Hel have an alliance like that, and I'm afraid I'd like to know you'd be by my side in case the rumors of the new King of Hel are true… I have yet to meet En Sabah Nur, but what I've heard so far… I've been getting ready for an attack, although Raven says I'm just paranoid," Charles sighed as if he was tired, shrugging it off after a second and making Erik smile in spite of himself.

It didn't seem like a surprise that Charles was already coming up with plans from only hearing rumours, that his mind was already working out ways to keep his home safe from what could be a threat.  _ Cunning little thing, _ Charles had said back at the war, referring to himself while talking to Emma Frost. Cunning little thing indeed.

"I've heard about the new Hel ruler," Erik managed to say, trying to think like a King for a moment and not like the man who longed for the telepath in front of him. "I've been keeping my eyes there ever since Shaw was killed by Emma Frost."

"She's doing fine, by the way," Charles chuckled, amusement crossing his face for a second. "Has been giving Scott Summers hell, which Raven loves to see, but also learning how to live with her telepathy again."

"The telepath kingdom," Erik quietly said, Charles' eyebrows rising. He had the faint memory of calling Westchester that when Charles told him Emma would be going there. "I'd be stupid of me to not accept this alliance."

"Your words, not mine," Charles shrugged, making Erik smile at him — he tried not to think of that smile as loving. "But, well… There's more to the deal I'd like to talk now that I know you'd accept it."

Erik frowned when he noticed the shift in Charles' eyes, something shining in that deep blue that made his heart skip a beat. He looked hopeful, happy and scared at the same time, and Erik felt an anxious feeling course through his body at that look, as if he couldn't wait for the next words that would come from the Westchester King.

"What else would there be?" Erik questioned as he saw Charles hesitate.

Charles hesitating… Erik couldn't help to not want to see the man hesitate in front of him anymore, not when in the last months they had been together Charles had been so sure of everything he did and said. He wanted to keep that, to keep that Charles.

"I've been…  _ thinking... _ these past few months since I went back to Westchester. About, well, us," Charles said, eyes avoiding Erik as the Genoshan King felt his heart on his throat. There was a nervous feeling in the air that made him wonder if Charles wasn't projecting that by accident. "About what happened while I was here and about what had changed when I left. Westchester wasn't the only thing that changed."

Erik clenched his jaw, not knowing where this was going all of the sudden. He had been ready to take Charles' wrist and make a pact like the very first time they had met, and he'd do it with gusto. Instead, Charles' blue eyes reflected the fireplace's flames as he stared at them, a slight frown on his forehead that made Erik want to smooth the lines there, to touch Charles' face and hold it again, to kiss away the frown that formed on his lips. 

The corner of Charles' mouth rose slightly for a moment, expression softening out of nowhere before he got serious again.

"That day when I left... I could feel how your mind called for me. I don't even think you realized that it was happening. It kept pulling me back to you even as I walked away, kept almost begging me to turn around and stay. But I couldn't, and I know you understand that. I had to go back home," Charles' voice was calm, eyes never leaving the flames, and Erik held the fabric of his mother's mantle for a moment, crumpling the fabric with his grip.

The orange color of the fire reflected against the pale skin of Charles' face, shadows and lights dancing across his expression in an enthralling way. He didn't look real for a moment, and it was like Erik was looking at a painting and not at a person — he looked timeless and beautiful and unreachable, like all Erik would be able to get from reaching from him was hitting a painted canvas.

"There were things for me to do back home, there was my duty as King, there was uncertainty of what would even happen if I stayed after how we started... So I  _ had _ to leave," Charles kept going, taking a deep breath. "I didn't know what would happen if I came back here, I didn't know what would have changed, and yet I came because I think your mind never stopped pulling me back to you, even if you weren't near enough for me to feel you."

Erik's breath got caught on throat as Charles looked at him again. There was blue fire burning in those eyes, shining with a vulnerability Erik didn't expect, sincerity seeping from his look. There was a smile in Charles' lips then — small, but there.

"I was afraid I'd come back and you'd put the collar on me again. That you wouldn't trust me anymore."

"I took it off that day," Erik's voice was weaker than he wanted it to be as he finally said something. "I wouldn't put it back again."

"You opened the cage."

There was a knowing smile on Charles' lips as he said those words, making Erik remember the story Charles had read to him all those months ago, the same one that made Erik free Charles — the one he now had a copy safely stored in his quarters and read every once in a while, staring at the picture of the Songbird painted with watercolors. He knew it was almost masochistic of him to read that story over and over again, to relive that moment he should've left behind, but he couldn't. It was comforting to read it at night, to remember Charles' voice reading each word.

"I think you forgot something about the story, Erik," Charles said, his smile widening a little more, eyes still shining at Erik. "The Songbird comes back."

The Genoshan King frowned as a small chuckle left Charles' lips, and he watched with curious eyes as Charles got up from his chair, teacup carefully put away as he walked towards Erik's side of the small table and kneeled in the front of him, taking Erik's hands in a soft grip that made Erik's heart jump. Charles' hands were cold as they always seemed to be, and they felt perfect against Erik's.

"Charles-"

"I can still feel your mind pulling me, more like the Ancient Magic did when we were bound together. I felt the pull when you left your library after hearing about my arrival, I felt it as you got to the throne room, and I can feel it now," Charles' eyes didn't leave Erik's for even a second and all Erik could do was look back and hold Charles' hands in the hopes that the touch wouldn't go away. "And I told you I came here because of that pull and because I want Genosha and Westchester as allies. And,  _ gods, _ I hope I'm not being too bold by suggesting this, but there's a way of fulfilling both of these things in one simple way."

Charles seemed to take a deep breath for a moment, his hands tightening their grip on Erik's for a second, as if wanting to feel them there so he could ground himself. When his voice came out again, Erik wasn't sure how Charles seemed to sound so hesitant and sure of himself at the same time.

"I want you, Erik of Genosha, more than I probably should and more than I can explain," he said, Erik's breathing picking up at his words, and he wondered again if he wasn't dreaming, if he wouldn't wake up at any moment alone on his bed, until a chuckle came from Charles' lips. "It's not a dream, and I am boldly going on my knees to ask you to be bound to me again. I'm asking you to marry me, Erik of Genosha."

Erik felt like he couldn't move for a moment, Charles' words settling on his mind little by little — words he never expected to hear, not even in his wildest dreams. He felt happy, he felt like he could combust, some of the metal of the room shaking slightly with the emotion going through his body. And then came something dark, something that pierced through him like a knife for a moment, a thought that made Charles frown immediately once he apparently caught it.

"You gave yourself to me all those months ago for your kingdom, to make sure it would be safe," Erik's voice was quiet, his jaw clenched, but his hands never left Charles'. No matter what he thought, he didn't seem able to break the touch. "How- How can I know this is not for your kingdom's sake again."

Charles seemed taken by surprise by Erik's words for a second, understanding crossing his eyes before a small huff left his lips, a kind smile there now as he looked up at Erik. One of his hands left Erik's, moving to touch Erik's face and bring it down, closer to him, and Erik followed his touch until their foreheads were together, touching, and Charles' face was only a breath away.

"Like this," he softly said, and a hush of thoughts and emotions flooded Erik's mind.

He saw rage at first, bitterness as Charles wore the collar, resignation at knowing it was himself who chose that but no less distaste for Erik for putting it on him. He saw fear as well, the despair of not knowing what would come next, what Erik was thinking, of losing control. He saw the day Erik told him he wouldn't take what Charles wouldn't give, saw the confusion and relief that crossed his mind, saw Erik changing slowly in his eyes, his actions shaping him into a new form.

Erik saw their kisses, how each of them seemed to make Charles more and more confused with himself, saw the turmoil of emotions related to Erik — there was still bitterness, but dying down slowly like a flame without oxygen. He saw the night in the tent that Erik himself still remembered fondly, saw the talk Charles had with his sister that night, saw Charles' panic and saw himself calming Charles down and holding him close, as well as something settling in Charles' mind.

He saw snow and saw his own eyes on Charles as he caught Erik staring, saw them dancing, saw his own smile through Charles' eyes and how it seemed to be framed by a glow of something warm now, saw the morning after the festival when Erik confessed he had taken the collar out of trust, how that had made Charles more sure of what he felt.

He saw the war, saw the night Charles read him the children's book, saw the way Charles worried for him with each battle he fought, saw the fear Charles had felt when Shaw's sword pierced his shoulder and the desperate feeling of not wanting to lose Erik like that. He saw the relief when Erik was safe, saw Charles there with him, taking care of him, for the time period where Erik had been unconscious, and how full of joy he was when Erik finally woke up.

Then he saw the day Erik set him free, saw his surprise and the conflict he felt between staying or going home, saw the decision being made in Charles' mind as he felt the pull of his own mind on Charles' like the telepath had said. He saw Charles look back at the capital once he was down the cliffs, the feeling that he was leaving something behind eating him alive — the same one, Erik noticed, that seemed to accompany Charles for the next six months as he brought Westchester back to its feet. As he longed to stay and to go back all the same.

Behind all of those memories, Erik saw the way he changed in Charles' eyes with time, the way he became more than the man who kept him from going home and became the man he  _ loved. _

Charles loved him.

Charles loved him, and Erik knew he reflected that feeling perfectly.

Charles loved him the way he loved Charles, even after leaving.

When the connection was broken, when Erik was able to focus on Charles' eyes again, all he could do was move forward and take Charles' lips on a bruising kiss, a desperate sound leaving his lips at the feeling of finally,  _ finally, _ being able to kiss him again. To his delight, Charles kissed back. For a perfect moment, he felt like everything was right again.

He kept moving forward, making Charles fall back with a  _ humpf _ that was quickly muffled by Erik's lips again, moving to hover Charles' body as he kissed him and feeling Charles pulling him close until their bodies were touching. Charles' lips tasted like tea and pastries and  _ Charles; _ Erik felt his soul sing at that, at being able to do that again, at knowing now that Charles loved him.

Charles loved him, and Charles wanted to marry him.

_ «I figured,» _ Charles' voice rang in Erik's head, and he couldn't explain how much he had missed that,  _ «that marriage would be the best move. We broke a pact before, I couldn't let it happen again.» _

"You're talking as if this is just a political plan, Charles," Erik parted the kiss, looking down at Charles with his eyebrows raised. Charles looked beautiful with his hair against the floor, crown fallen to the ground now, and lips redder than they already were from being kissed.

"No no no," Charles said in a hurry, shaking his head and taking Erik's face in his hands before placing a kiss to his lips again, quick this time. "No. Gods, no… I love you. I want you. And, yes, there are political advantages to a marriage between us but I'm doing this because I love you, Erik… It took Raven to stop me from coming back countless times before until I had the idea of proposing our kingdoms to work together."

"You love me," Erik said quietly, looking down at Charles in adoration. Charles smiled up at him, nodding, blue eyes looking up at Erik's.

"I do."

"I love you."

"You do."

"I'll marry you…" Charles huffed out a quiet chuckle at that, nodding once again.

"And I'll marry you."

Erik smiled at that, the smile turning into a joyful chuckle after, right before his lips were on Charles' again.

He was thankful he had ordered everyone to stay away from that common room until his talk with Charles was done as their hands started moving to undress each other, and Erik wasn't sure if the want to feel each other completely after so long came from him or Charles.

**SUMMER**

Charles walked through the corridors of the Westchester palace, the layout still familiar like the back of his hand. He had arrived early there in the hopes of surprising Raven with his presence, but his sister seemed to have just woken up even if the sun was already up in the sky. He knew Raven had her lazy mornings, and her mind seemed to be relaxed and at ease as he carefully touched it to find her, trying not to give away that he was there.

He finally found her as she walked out of her room into the corridor, red hair pulled up from her face as she wore a long robe that covered her body. For all Charles could feel she was hungry and intended on getting food from the kitchen — a habit she never seemed to be able to break, even if everyone in the palace insisted over and over again that she didn't have to go to the kitchen herself — no clue there that she knew that Charles had arrived. He couldn't blame her, he was supposed to arrive only in two days and had asked the staff not to tell Raven about his presence until he found her himself.

Her yellow eyes saw him immediately when she looked at the end of the corridor, stopping in her tracks as her mind flared up with surprise and something else that Charles wasn't able to put a finger on. As he smiled and was about to walk to her for a hug, someone else left Raven's room and made Charles stop immediately. It took less than a second for Charles to recognize Irene of Muir, in a robe much like Raven's and looking as if she had just woken up.

_ Oh. _

"Charles," Raven finally said. Behind her, Irene seemed to wear a grin, not surprised at all.

"Raven," he replied, eyes going from his sister to the Queen of Muir multiple times before he bit back an amused smile. "Why don't we meet in the balcony next to the throne room?"

"Sounds like a good idea." 

"Perfect," he nodded, eyes going to Irene as he gave her a polite bow out of courtesy even if she couldn't see his action. "Your Majesty."

"Good to hear your voice again, Charles of Westchester."

"It surely was a pleasant surprise to meet you here, Irene," Raven gave him a glare, his smile now wide on his face as he shook his head at her. "I hope you'll join us later."

"Of course. It'll be my pleasure."

As Charles turned back to leave them alone, he heard Raven mumbling a complaint towards the other Queen about not warning her of Charles' arrival. The snort that came out of him was almost impossible to hold back.

"So, how close are the relationships between Westchester and Muir now?"

"You are insufferable, Charles."

Charles smiled brightly as Raven got closer to him, stepping into the warm sun that shone over the balcony, blue skin shining with the sunlight. Next to them, a few birds sang their song carelessly, too used to the presence of people around them to even care about the two siblings, some other birds flying on the horizon and making their way to the green hills that surrounded the capital. Charles missed that view, missed how full of song Summer was in Westchester.

Raven hugged him immediately once she was close enough, arms holding Charles tightly as he did the same to her, smiling against her hair and feeling her mind shifting into a calmer state than before, happy to have Charles back. 

"I'm glad you managed to come," she mumbled against him, both of them letting go of the embrace after a few seconds.

"I wouldn't miss the Summer Carnival for the life of me," he chuckled, seeing Raven smile at him, yellow eyes shining. "Besides, the kids wouldn't leave me or Erik alone until we brought them after I told them about it."

There was the sound of laughter from somewhere under the balcony, both Charles and Raven leaning against the railing to look down and seeing Erik there together with the kids.

Charles smiled as a warmth filled his chest at the sight. Erik had Lorna in his arms, the two year old leaning against his shoulder with a calm she only seemed to have when Erik held her —  _ "I guess she does has a favorite father," _ Charles had said once as he watched Erik calm the baby down one night when she had woken up screaming from a nightmare, not being able to care much about it when he got to see Erik whispering a song to the their daughter and look at her with so much love that it seeped into Charles' mind. Next to them, Wanda seemed to be guiding David towards one of the fountains of the gardens of the palace, the four year old following his older sister without missing a beat, blue and green eyes staring at everything in wonder. 

Anya, already eleven when Erik and Charles had taken her in, had Pietro on her back as the eight year old pointed at everything and tried to get her to walk him there — she was the only one who seemed able to make Pietro stop for even a moment.

"I've heard you two adopted a telepath?" Raven said by Charles' side, none of them looking away from the children down there.

"David," Charles smiled as he said the boy's name, seeing David trying to get into the fountain as Wanda pulled him back from doing that. "It was actually Irene who brought him to our attention. He was from Muir, but telepaths are still not a hundred percent free there… She sent David to Genosha for us to care since she knew our family was growing."

"And I believe he's the one you chose to inherit the Westchester throne once you die?" Charles looked at her then, seeing her eyebrows raised as she smirked. "I know you,  _ King of Westchester. _ I know you'd want a telepath on the throne."

"That's not true," Charles tried. Raven shot him a glance as she turned to him a little more, not believing his words at all.

Charles sighed, nodding in confirmation and seeing Raven snort, looking down at the children again.

"It's good," she shrugged. "This is the telepath kingdom anyway. I can't wait for you to send the little  _ Prince-boy _ to me so I can tutor him."

"May the gods have mercy on him when the day comes," Raven kicked the back of Charles' knee at that, almost making him fall as he wheezed out a laugh. 

"I'm a good teacher. And a good aunt!"

"Of course you are, Raven."

Lorna seemed to stir in Erik's arms down below, raising her head and grabbing Erik's face with her little hands before babbling something, green hair shining with the bright sun that shone above them and making Erik chuckle, Charles' lips opening into a grin at that. She had started to want to talk more and more as the days passed, although there were only a few words she could say well enough. On the horizon, Charles was able to hear music playing, the Westchesterians already starting the Summer celebrations. 

"It's strange without you here," Raven said then, her voice quiet as Charles' gaze went back to her. She looked pensive. "I know you come once each season to do your duties and that you rule from Genosha now, but it's… different. I'm not used to having you away for that long."

"I know. I left you with the burden of taking care of Westchester while I play King outside the kingdom," he sighed, Raven's yellow eyes going to him. 

"It's not like I'm alone," she shrugged. "Jean and Emma have been more than enough help, I just… I miss you sometimes."

"You should," Charles joked, feeling Raven punch his arm lightly and making him chuckle. "Unfortunately, it's me being in Genosha that keeps the doors-"

"Keeps the doors open for telepaths to be free in Genosha, because you're the King's husband and you can protect him from rogue telepaths," Raven said in a mocking voice, Charles' eyebrows rising at that. "I know, I know. I've told myself that a million times whenever I wondered if I shouldn't just go to Genosha and drag you back home. Doesn't stop me from wishing you'd visit more often, especially now that I'm an aunt!"

Charles smiled at her, shaking his head before he noticed her expression changing again.

"Are you happy?" she asked, voice calm but with a certain worry behind it.

Charles looked down the balcony again, at his children and husband — his new family, after only having Raven for so long. He thought about her question, letting her words go through his mind a few times before he took a deep breath to answer.

"Everyday I wake up to see a man who seems to love me unconditionally by my side," Charles started, eyes still looking down as he took note of Raven's eyes on him. "Sometimes I still wake up fearing I'll lose everything… We lost so much over the years that it's hard not to think it'll happen again. But then this man comes and soothes my fears, promises me the world and then more. I was always the one to promise the world to others, to make sure they felt safe, and now he does that for me the same way I do it for him."

Charles saw for a moment as a Songbird landed near Erik and Lorna, the baby turning to look at the bird with interest as a smile appeared on Erik's lips. There was a smile on Charles' as well as he saw Lorna babble at the Songbird, only to have her babbles turned into a melody that seemed to take Lorna by surprise before she laughed and clapped happily, babbling some more at the bird to hear it sing.

"Some days I wake up to five children invading mine and Erik's bedroom, jumping on the bed in the early morning to wake us up. And everytime that happens I think to myself that I never imagined that," Charles frowned for a second, swallowing his own spit as he brushed away a few tears that fell from his eyes unprompted. "I never saw myself settling down because I never thought I could, because I thought I'd have to fight for the rest of my life. And I still fight, but I can take a break sometimes… I can read stories that I used to read to you to my children, I can spend the night talking to my husband about absolutely nothing and sleep peacefully after that, without fearing the next war. I can enjoy all that I fought for, all of that knowing that you're safe- that Jean's safe as well. Everyone seems to be."

In the gardens, Charles watched Wanda dragging David to look at the Songbird as Anya called it to land on her hand, a proud smile in Erik's face as she probably gave the bird the command to do so. David, curious, mumbled what sounded like the words of a lullaby Charles would sing for him to sleep, hearing the Songbird sing it back to him. A smile appeared on his chubby face, looking up at Erik for approval and receiving just that. His children sang with the Songbird like he and Raven used to, the melody reaching his ears and bringing with it a feeling of closure that he didn't know was possible for him to feel. He noticed Raven's emotions reaching him as well, her mind flaring up with the same feelings Charles was experiencing.

He didn't try to stop the tears as he smiled, seeing Erik looking up after a while, directly at him. They stared at each other for a moment, but soon there was a smile on Erik's face as well, his mind suddenly pulling at Charles' like it needed Charles close.

"So, yes," his voice was weak, but it was just loud enough for Raven to hear him. He felt as her hand held his on the railing, holding her hand back without hesitating. "I think I'm as happy as one can be."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I wrote the end crying, what about it?
> 
> Here's a bonus: Things That Could've Been But I Changed At The Last Minute Just Because I Want To Talk About It!
> 
> \- Magic wasn't supposed to be in the plot of this at first: The first plot for this that I had was "Charles offers to marry Erik in exchange for help to Westchester". This story shaped itself very differently from the first idea and I know that because when I write I have a clear vision of things and when first wrote the first chapter I saw everything brighter because it wasn't as heavy. When I finished the final result that is the one that's posted here, the scene felt dark and it all looked very differently. Shaw and Irene weren't supposed to be there at all, let alone magic, and yet with the way things were going I wanted magic in the middle to explain some parts (and it worked!).  
> \- Erik took Charles' collar off for the first time while wearing the helmet: this was how Chapter 4 was written originally until I realized that was LameTM and I wanted Erik to trust Charles and Charles to trust Erik, so the smut scene became the scene where that happened.  
> \- Charles stays after Erik frees him: that was the first idea. I wanted them to be together since the very beginning, but as the story kept going I didn't think it felt right for Charles' character to stay considering how they started and who Charles is in this, so I made him go and only brought him back in the Epilogue.  
> \- Charles and Erik raise one of the kids together before Charles gets freed: I had this idea that I didn't write of making a human ask for them to take her kid(s) since they were mutants and they were in danger, but it didn't go anywhere and I didn't even try to write it lmao
> 
> These are the ones I can remember but it's enough to see the amount of stuff I thought for this until I got to this end result 👀 If you have any questions or thoughts about it you can jump on my Tumblr and send an ask! I'll be more than happy to reply! ❤️

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kuddos are more than appreciated and keeps an author's soul alive. Even a "❤️" or "+kuddos" are valid and will make me happy. ❤️
> 
> Find me on [tumblr](http://hellfre.tumblr.com) and [twitter](http://twitter.com/hllfire)!


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